Support strong for timber festival

ByMelissa Donchi
MORE than 5000 people turned out to support Sunday’s Victorian Timber Festival, making it the most successful woodchop in the Yarra Valley yet.
From 9am until 5pm the Healesville Racecourse was filled with timber enthusiasts, children, families and local community groups.
“It was a full day,” said festival organiser Kerri Perry.
“Some people came in the morning and were still there at the end of the day.”
The event was the fifth time Healesville had hosted the Victorian Timber Festival, which is staged every second year.
“It tends to take up the entire racecourse now,” Ms Perry said.
“We had heaps of things on including truck and machinery exhibitions and a huge woodchop program.”
This year the woodchop arena was dedicated to local identity Ron Young.
A champion axeman, Mr Young has been involved with the Healesville Show, the Royal Melbourne Show and is an Australian and Victorian champion axeman.
Several memorial trophies were also named after locals including the Doug Jenson Memorial Event and others in honour of Len Parrish and R J Richards.
Festival spokesperson Kersten Gentle said this year’s festival was particularly difficult to organise with several committee members called away to fight Victoria’s summer bushfires.
“There is no doubt that putting the festival together is a team effort but without the expertise of Kerri Perry working behind the scenes, this year’s festival wouldn’t have happened,” Ms Gentle said.
It was also a big day for local community groups who raised $6500 via running the bar, canteen and numerous stalls.
“The Healesville Cricket Club manned the bar while the Healesville Football Club ran the canteen,” Ms Perry said. “And we had the Junior Football Club run a handball clinic and a raffle.”
But it was local basketball player Jessica Murty who was the big success of the day, raising $1000 selling sausages and soft drinks, which will help achieve her dream of playing basketball in the USA.
“Jess sold out of sausages by 3pm and could not believe the support from the local people,” Ms Gentle said.
“Donations were made to all the community groups who generously gave up their time to support us,” Ms Perry said.