We were very excited to have arrived in Julia Creek for this iconic outback festival. It is a huge weekend with some exciting & interesting events on the program.
The Festival started yesterday afternoon with the Kids Triathlon and this morning it was time for The Senior Triathlon. The event consists of a 800 mtr swim in the very muddy Eastern Creek (located 25 km west of Julia Creek on The Flinders Highway) then a 25 km bike ride back to town and finally a 5 km run (3 laps of the main street). Because it has been so dry there was much talk that there would not be enough water in Eastern Creek where the swim takes place. But luckily the technical team from Triathlon Queensland decided yesterday afternoon that the swim could go ahead but would have to be shortened from an 800 mtr swim to a 400 mtr swim.
We were excited to be there as our son Samuel would be competing in the race as he has the last four years and he has won the event the last 2 years. I was assisting as a technical official and happy with my position at the dismount line (where the athletes get off their bikes after the 25 km cycle before they commence the 5 km run).
Samuel was very happy to come away with another win.
In the afternoon after the triathlon we caught the shuttle bus to the Julia Creek race track and joined around 2000 race goers and cheered the horses as they raced at this very iconic race meeting. The women were beautifully dressed up for this important event.
In the evening was an international class pro bull riding event - an amazing crowd packed to capacity and afterwards hundreds continued to party with live music & dancing until early morning (not us though - we left a bit earlier than that !!!)
In the morning breakfast together and we watched the kids triathlon medal presentation where Samuel handed out the medals and then we did an ABC radio interview and another newspaper interview. We had done a few the day before as well.
We said goodbye to Samuel who is heading off to the USA tomorrow for over a month to train & race. When we returned to the camping ground it was amazingly still - most had left already. Good chance for us to catch up on re-stocking supplies & the washing. No internet coverage at Julia Creek so will have to catch up with our blogs and email in Cloncurry.
In the evening we were invited to the local organising committee's & volunteers' drinks & dinner in the town. It was great to find out about how the event is organised and how it is planned. Thanks Nickers, Margie, Justin & Steve - Walter & I enjoyed chatting with you about your amazing event. Can't wait to be able to return & re-live it all again some time in the future.
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| Thank you Steve Moss & The Pine Rivers Tri Club for your generous cheque towards our fundraising campaign for Alzheimer's Australia Dementia Research Foundation |
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| Cattle truck takes all the bikes to Eastern Creek (25 km west of Julia Creek) |
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| Samuel wins The Dirt N Dust Triathlon |
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| The dust is flying at The Dirt N Dust Races |
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| Waiting for the bull to be released |
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| The crowd at the bull riding |
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| Much excitement at the bull riding |
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