Millmeran Camp Oven Cooking Festival

By Joe Elmore

Well we finally did it. Equal first to the venue for a club trip/social. We, Carmel, Joe and Emily along with Jan and Gary arrived at the Millmeran Show grounds at about lunch time on Wednesday.

Being first there is not as great as it sounds. There are too many choices as to where to set up. Anyway experience showed with Gary and Jan finding their spot and setting up a lot quicker than we novices, all a learning curve.

Settling in! When Carmel received a phone call from Elaine to saying they were at St George and should be joining us by 4:00-4:30pm. It was good to see this group of travellers, Elaine Wilson and John Lucas, Lorraine Cummings and Gordon Bishop, Kaye and Glenn Taylor, roll in late that afternoon, Gary and I had already declared Happy Hour so we continued with this crew.

Thursday dawned a beautiful sunny day. We had decided on a walk around town so at about 9:00am we headed off for a look around town. Millmeran is a bit bigger than I thought with enough craft and haberdashery shops to keep the women interested.

We returned to camp to find the Cruice’s, Huddleston’s, Middleton’s, Menzie’s, Harth’s, and Eastments, had arrived. Thursday afternoon was taken up with roaming around the complex watching the exhibitors and stall holders setting up. One thing I could certainly get used to is this thing they call a “nanny nap”. Woke up just in time for happy hour (phew!!!).

Friday was another beautiful morning. We had decided to do a self drive tour of the Millmerran Countryside. The route instructions were handed to everyone as they arrived and registered at the main gate. It covered almost 100km of the surrounding district, taking in such sights as the “Keeping House”, Commodore Peak, past the Geraldton Wax farm through Kooroongara to Mt Basalt, taking in scenic views of the mine and power station, then back into Millmeran. By the time we arrived back at camp Jeff and Beryl Crane and Bill Freeman and Rose Ayling had arrived and set up. Again I availed myself of a nanny nap. Happy hour was quite special as we had three birthdays to celebrate, Kaye, Gordon, and Neil. Allan and Carol Goessler also arrived on their way home from Cania Gorge.

Saturday started early for those who ordered bread or wanted a newspaper. Dave, Fran, Kathy and the girls arrived. The teams competing in the cooking competition could strike the match at 0600. We had an interest in the competition, as Carmel worked with one of the Baker Boys’ wives and Allan was mates with one of them as well. The day was filled with getting around to see the displays and exhibitions, while keeping up with how the Baker Boys were doing. The last event in the day’s cooking competition was the Drovers style camp oven Christmas Dinner. Appreciative of the support we gave them the boys insisted the club stay and sample the dinner once it had been judged, It was delicious.

Sunday started with the bush poets, how good was that? The last section of the camp oven competition was also held. The displays and exhibitions continued as well. As the day wore on those of us who had to work on Monday headed home.

Thanks to Graham and Sandra Moore and Dave Hobbs for suggesting and organising the weekend.

The Baker Boys won their entry fee plus some.