CAMP ovens, billy boiling and a dog high jump are set to take over Molong’s Telegraph Hotel with the return of Joey’s Bush Tucker Day on 5 September.
The annual event, now in its fifth year, brings people together for a day of camp oven cooking, a bit of friendly competition and a big celebration of the life of local man Joey Urban.
Organiser, Dave Pringle, said the event began as a camp oven cooking competition before being named in honour of Joey following his death in a car accident several years ago.
Mr Pringle said Joey had enjoyed bush tucker and cooking, making the event a fitting tribute to the young local.
“He always enjoyed a bit of bush tucker, so we named it Joey’s Bush Tucker Day in honour, of him” he said.
The main event will be the camp oven cooking competition, with participants required to prepare and cook their dishes on site rather than simply reheating food prepared beforehand.
Around 15 to 20 cooks typically take part, with competitors supplying their own meat or other ingredients before putting their culinary skills to the test.
Once judging is complete, the public can get involved by purchasing a $10 plate and sampling the dishes prepared by competitors.
Previous years have featured an eclectic selection of food, including rabbit, venison, vegetarian meals and desserts.
Mr Pringle said competitors and judges took the cooking seriously, with plenty of variety on offer for those keen to try something different.
“It’s pretty good. They take it pretty seriously,” he said.
The billy boiling competition will also return, with competitors given the same-sized billy, a cup of water, a block of wood, two sheets of paper and three matches.
The first competitors to successfully boil their billy progress through to the final, with prizes changing from year to year.
A new dog high jump competition will make its debut this year, giving local dog owners another opportunity to put their animals’ skills to the test.
Mr Pringle said the competition was designed to attract a different crowd and give local dog owners an opportunity to compete.
The event is expected to begin at around 3pm and continue well into the evening, with live music planned.
For Mr Pringle, the day is ultimately about bringing people together while remembering a young local whose life had a lasting impact on those around him.
For more information or to register, call Dave Pringle on 0427 501 677
