BENDEMEER sent out a call and a crowd came from near and far for its Australia Day celebrations.
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Organisers said the popular coo-ee calling competition produced some strange sounds from participants but the high standard meant the judges, particularly in the senior section, had a tough time choosing a winner.
In the end, the junior coo-ee champion was local girl Bethany Karnaghan and the senior winner was Helen Hollis, from Congi Station, Woolbrook.
The Australia Day fun kicked off with a free breakfast at the Bendemeer Bowling Club, provided by the Grey Fergie Tractor Muster Committee, and a flag raising ceremony at the local hotel.
This was followed by the main celebrations on the banks of the MacDonald River, which included cross-cut sawing and billy-boiling competitions, egg and spoon races and thong and frisbee throwing.
The cross-cut sawing winners were Robert Hollis of Congi Station and Don Keaton from Bendemeer, while in the billy-boiling event Bendemeer's James Karnaghan took out the senior category and the junior winner was Amy Spykstra, from Dungowan.
The day ended with a show of brut strength in the annual tug-o-war competition in front of 200 people, with the Bart's Crew team taking out the event.