With entertainment and activities starting in earnest this afternoon, visitors and volunteers were busy setting up – or taking one of the very popular tours of the area.

Co-ordinator Geoff Eather said visitors had started arriving late last week, with a big influx of about 100 yesterday.

There were 320 bookings in total, with another 50 to 60 caravans expected to just roll in off the road as in previous years.

“It’s a bit bigger than last year, I think, and the weather for something like this is absolutely spot-on,” Mr Eather said.

“There are a few changes this year, as there are every year – only two constants throughout the years, really: the skits on Saturday night, people just love them, and Two Gals from Tamworth.

“We get really good feedback about them every year – Two Gals keep coming up as requests to come back; the crowd love them.”

The Boggabri Drovers Campfire, organised by Boggabri Lions Club, started in 2006 as Mr Eather’s idea to capture passing travellers.

It has since become an award-winning event, this year featuring a vintage fashion parade, a Paws Up dog jump, blacksmithing and woodturning demonstrations, and music including a violinist.

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Ray Warby of Newcastle was preparing for an enjoyable time this year – his second visit to the event.

“It’s good – but I enjoy everything wherever I go, mate, because life is what you make it,” Mr Warby said.

John and Dorothy Barwick of Kingsood near Tamworth were there to display their vintage tractors: a 1953 Lanz Bulldog and a 1947 Farmall Cub.

“We come here to assist the Boggabri Lions Club and we just like showing them off,” Mr Barwick said.

“We put a lot of effort into them and people really appreciate it.”