Moocooboola Festival
Image: Jelly Bean Jam
The Hunters Hill council’s annual Moocooboola Festival has a long tradition of bringing the community together for a day of fun and entertainment.
“It’s a great opportunity for families and neighbours to connect or bump into each other,” says Adrian Black, events coordinator at Hunters Hill Council. “But we have more people come to the event than live here, so it has no borders. The community is everybody.”
Moocooboola is a traditional Aboriginal word meaning the ‘meeting of waters’, which any local would tell you fittingly describes the Hunters Hill peninsular where Lane Cove and Parramatta Rivers meet.
Black notes the word is a “little bit magical and has a strong history” and is keen to ensure the festival will again live up to its namesake.
There are lots for the kids to do with all-day rides, as well free family fun activities. “It can be expensive, so this year we’re really focusing on lots of free old-fashioned games,” says Black. “We’re doing an adventure sheet for kids, sort of a choose your own adventure fun.”
After kids complete a list of free activities such as racing a jumping inflatable horse, making a wish at the wishing tree (which comes alive and talks back), or trying their luck in the giant maze, they win a prize.
“You don’t have to be a kid to enjoy the activities. You use the kids to draw in the parents to let loose a bit,” says Black.
Another new addition to the festival is comedy with Daniel Oldaker aka Dandyman. He’ll take audiences on a journey of the imagination with a show of circus, acrobatics and magic that will be peculiar, crazy but always hilarious.
Or catch Paws Up, Australia’s champions in dog high-jumping. Currently holding Australia’s record in jumps of over nine feet, Paws Up will be a spectacular sight of border collies ‘flying’ in the sky.
If you feel like simply sitting back and relaxing though, there will be plenty of musical performances including many from the local community. Although, when Sydney’s premier party band Jellybean Jam takes to the stage, visitors will soon feel like dancing.
“We entertain adults all the time so it’s nice to make sure kids are out there having a bit of a dance and a bit of a boogie,” says the ‘clown’ of the band Andy Caryofyllis.
With a market bazaar, an array of street food on offer and non-stop entertainment, the Moocooboola Festival promises to be a fun day for all ages. (MT)
Aug 3, Boronia Park Ovals, Ryde Rd & Park Rd, free, moocooboola.com
BY MELODY TEH
