Country Fair with Rutherglen Roam draws thousands to the region

ORGANISERS estimated around 10,000 visitors flocked to this year’s annual Rutherglen Rotary Club Country Fair last Sunday making it another fabulous success. The biggest fund-raising event on the Rotary Club’s calendar runs on the Kings Birthday long weekend as part of the Roam Rutherglen Winery Walkabout with its main even held the day before. The longest standing wine festival in the country, Roam Rutherglen has been running for 51 years. Wine Makers of Rutherglen executive officer Annalee Nolan said organisers had been delighted with the results. Although slightly down on numbers by around 15 per cent Ms Nolan said the event drew an estimated crowd of 7000 people. She said Wine Makers of Rutherglen were thrilled with the outcome although a little down from last year expected from the present economic environment. “Operationally it went well with the energy the event brings too,” she said. “We have maintained a good market share and are happy with the outcome,” she said. Sixteen of Rutherglen region’s cellar doors hosted wine lovers with a program of premium tastings, live entertainment and unique sensory cellar door experiences. “It was great to have Morris Wines back this year,” Ms Nolan said. “We moved people with transport as well.” A hop-on, hop-off bus loop with 40 buses gave visitors an opportunity to explore participating wineries throughout the weekend. Although figures haven’t been finalised by tourism authorities Ms Nolan said with the Rotary Country Fair an expected $7million will have been brought into the local regional economy similar to last year. An organiser of the Rotary Club’s Country Fair Bill Slattery said the market had 278 stalls stretching from produce to craft stalls and everything in between with variety of local stallholders too. Bill said the club supported local hospitality businesses and did not offer food except for the Rotary community barbeque. With around $25,000 raised by the Rotary Club from the fair every year, Bill said funds go into Rotary projects among them youth programs and the Rotary youth exchange - where high school students live and study abroad. “We’re supporting a South Korean as a Rotary exchange student for 12 months this year,” he said. Other Rotary projects include supporting local schools with bursaries for students and supporting local young people to attend an annual science forum in Canberra. “Some funds go back into community projects and community clubs too with the local tennis and hockey clubs being supported this year,” he said. Among activities on the day, Bill said the Northern Victoria MP Jaclyn Symes, Senator Bridget McKenzie and Indigo Shire mayor Sophie Price stomped away in this this year’s grape stomping event. “It’s so much fun,” he said.

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