May 17, 2019
Proston residents gathered together last Saturday to review this year’s Regatta In The Park and hand out awards.
The Regatta, which followed the Proston QCWA’s Easter Parade down Blake Street, attracted a large number of brightly decorated “boats” on Easter Saturday.
Coverty Creek Community Development and Social Club presented a cheque for $1000 to the Proston Men’s Shed from the proceeds of this year’s event.
Proston and District Heritage Association was given the Not-For-Profit $50 donation.
Linda Rea was the winner of a hand-crafted silver “Regatta” necklace, made and donated by South Burnett Deputy Mayor Kathy Duff.
And Cr Duff didn’t escape notice, either.
She and Cr Ros Heit were presented with a Pirates award for being the “scourge of the high seas” for their antics during the Regatta.
Barbara Hockey, from the Mondure Rural Fire Brigade, accepted the “Above and Beyond” award.
Organisers promised there’ll be a new event at next year’s Regatta: fines and punishments for unsanctioned privateering.
The perpetrator will pay a fine and then walk the plank.
After a little push in the back with a sword, they will plunge into an ocean of blue sponges … all for a good cause, of course!
The Proston Regatta is an initiative of the Proston Round Table and is hosted by the Coverty Creek Community Development and Social Club.
The event is modelled on the Henley On Todd Regatta, which has been held in the (usually) dry Todd River bed near Alice Springs every year since 1962.
The organisers also thanked this year’s Regatta sponsors: South Burnett Regional Council, Ruger Construction Group, Proston Men’s Shed, Smithfield Cattle Company, Zac Beers (Labor candidate), Proston SPAR Express, NB Inspirations, Kingsley Grove Estate, Proston Health and Beauty, Proston Rural Supplies, Proston Lions Club and Hivesville Timber and Fencing.
* * *
Political Dirty Tricks?
Labor’s candidate for Flynn, Zac Beers, visited Proston to fly the flag for his election campaign during the Regatta.
That, of course, brought out the fighting spirit in South Burnett Deputy Mayor (and Proston-Boondooma LNP branch president) Kathy Duff who was determined the Labor team wouldn’t claim victory here or at the Federal poll.
After watching Zac cruise home in an earlier heat, Cr Duff decided a bit of handicapping might not go astray.
southburnett.com.au caught Cr Duff in the act, weighting down the back and front of the ALP boat.
Even so, the Labor duo romped away at the start … and despite Cr Duff’s best efforts (including a scuffle mid-race) easily took the chequered flag.
But proving the Aussie spirit of democracy is alive and healthy in Proston, there were handshakes and smiles all round afterwards.
For their (ultimately doomed) efforts, Cr Duff and her co-conspirator Cr Ros Heit received a meritorious award on Saturday for “buccaneering, blockading, sabotage, attempting to scuttle opposing ships and being all-round dastardly”.
 |
 |
* * *
Parade
Proston’s Easter celebrations began with a parade down Blake Street which featured decorated bikes, local emergency services, plenty of Easter bonnets and even a lonely, wandering cloud.
Parade prizes were distributed later during the activities in Railway Park.
* * *
In The Park
Once in the park, the Parade participants could browse stalls as well as buy tickets to take part in the hotly contested Proston Regatta.
There was also a scavenger hunt which had children running around searching for ice cream sticks and different coloured bottle tops. The first 10 who gathered a complete set earned a prize.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
[UPDATED]
