Published on Tuesday, 27 April 2021 at 9:00:00 AM
A bustling crowd gathered at the Pingelly Recreation and Cultural Centre (PRACC) on Saturday 24 April for the inaugural Pingelly Country Collective. Just eight weeks ago representatives joined forces as a working group to plan and deliver the free event, following the alignment of various opportunities to activate Pingelly during the ANZAC Day long weekend and create a family-friendly showcase for local people and visitors to enjoy.
The inaugural event featured the annual Pingelly Shears, alongside the first Sheep Dog Trials in Pingelly by the Esperance Districts Working Sheep Dog Club, as well as market stalls organised by the Pingelly Tourism Group featuring local and regional stalls, agricultural and engine displays, interactive exhibits by local emergency services, as well as a pop up café and children’s entertainment by the Pingelly Primary School P&C on the Pingelly Town Oval.
It was intended that the Methodist Ladies’ College would facilitate a number of music activities for children and young people, a Country Chorus Concert featuring students from Pingelly, Wandering, Boddington, Wickepin and Yealering, as well as Jazz Orchestra Concert performed by their students, however, at the eleventh hour on Friday, a snap lock down in the Perth Metropolitan Area mandated the need to postpone this component of the event.
Consequently, those local to the Wheatbelt region who otherwise intended to take off for the long weekend, attended the event which saw a full car park and a boost in reservations at local accommodation and businesses throughout the weekend.
Members of the Esperance Working Sheep Dog Club facilitated 190 runs, featuring 70 dogs and 38 competitors from six clubs throughout the state. The Pingelly Country Collective contributed towards the selection process for competitors to enter higher level meets in the eastern states and New Zealand. The Club praised event organisers for their support and enthusiasm in the lead up and look forward to hosting future meets in Pingelly with potential for the next event earmarked for as early as July.
The Sheepdog Trials also provided an opportunity for the members to generously share their passion and expertise with the community which saw volunteers from the Pingelly Primary School step into the area to get a firsthand sense of the action.
The markets drew stallholders from as far as Cranbrook for the day, as well as regular stallholders based locally and in neighbouring towns. In addition to the pop up cafe, Pingelly Primary School P&C also arranged inflatable activities day for children to burn off excess energy over the course of the day. Brookton-Pingelly Football Club, The Coffee Baa and Arola’s Café and Bakery also provided hospitality to event visitors throughout the weekend.
To add value to the country flare, the Old Machinery Club of WA displayed their collection of static vintage motors, and the Pingelly Tourism Group organised a miniature ute muster and chocolate coin toss competition.
One of the popular stalls consisted an interactive and education exhibits put on by local emergency services including the Pingelly Volunteer Fire and Rescue, Pingelly SES, Great Southern Police District (Pingelly) and St John Ambulance Pingelly. It was a wonderful chance for local volunteers to engage and enthuse young people about their important role within the community.
Spectator numbers to the annual Pingelly Shears also saw an increase, as a result of the other activities forming an event program for a whole of family fit.
The Pingelly Country Collective is a true credit to the excellent collaboration and hard work by local and visiting organisations. Representatives from the working group are set to meet shortly to debrief the inaugural event and plan for the next Pingelly Country Collective.
If you have any feedback about the event, please contact Sam Kempton, Community Development Officer on 9887 1066 or sam.kempton@pingelly.wa.gov.au
For full colour copies of photos view the 2021 Pingelly Collective photo album on the Shire of Pingelly’s Facebook page.
Back to All News