The ladies were out in their finery, the jockeys ready in their brightly coloured silks, the committee ladies were busy dispensing early cups of tea, and the Annual Stamford Races and Community Fun Day for 2013 was underway.
This was not the type of event we had been expecting to attend when we arrived at Vellum Station, midway between Hughenden and Winton, to spend six weeks teaching with Volunteers for Isolated Students Education (VISE). While we have enjoyed a range of different experiences with our VISE families since 2002, this was certainly a first.
Stamford is found 61 kilometres south of Hughenden on the Kennedy Development Road, known as the ‘Dinosaur Way’. It is a town steeped in history and was once an overnight stop for Cobb and Co. coaches. The rail line to Stamford was opened in December 1897 and became a busy railhead for local wool graziers.
Today, the school is closed, the railway is gone and the Stamford Roadhouse is the only business, but the local spirit is still going strong.
Jane McNamara, Hon. Secretary of the Stamford Race Club, explained that the races started 116 years ago at about the same time as the railway arrived. At first they were held a few miles down the road at Burke’s Tank. Jane’s grandfather, father and brother have all held positions on the committee over the years, while Jane has been secretary since 1977.
The day’s program had something for everyone. The afternoon’s five horse races were interspersed with children’s entertainment by Windy Wizard, a long-standing regular at this event. The children trailed round after him as he walked on stilts, performed magic tricks and created balloon creatures for them. Afternoon tea included - a lavish spread of home-baked delicacies provided by the local ladies.
The Fashions on the Field Parade presentation drew the crowd into the entertainment area. There were prizes for everyone, from tiny tots in smart vests and hats, teenagers balancing on impossibly high heels, through to the mums and then the grandmothers. The ‘fascinator’ was definitely the fashionable headwear choice for the ladies, many of whom had created their own. Not that the men were forgotten! The male line up drew plenty of loud applause and cheering, probably as much for their courage as for their outfits.
Later in the day the footraces started. Mostly barefooted, the children raced through the dust to claim their prizes. The ‘Stockman’s Dash’ and the ‘Stockman’s Challenge’ were another highlight of the late afternoon.
As we found a place at the trestle tables to have our dinner, we chatted with a Swedish couple travelling around Australia. They had read some of Stamford’s publicity and had decided to come for the weekend. This year, the race committee installed power and water facilities to an area where travellers are welcome to freedom camp for the weekend. A few of the campers have been coming back for several years and offer a helping hand setting up the area, even making the sandwiches on offer for lunch.
In return, the committee put on a free breakfast on Sunday morning!
We headed back to the station at a reasonable hour, but the ‘Claypan Boogie’ with DJ Windy Wizard was set to go well into the small hours, when many of the young people would simply roll out a swag under the stars to catch a few hours sleep before the cleanup began next morning.
The Stamford Race meeting is just one of the many runs in outback Queensland that offer wonderful hospitality and a great day of fun for RV travellers. Next time you are in the bush, check out the local race meeting and give them your support.
