Charmer: Camden Haven High School students Sophie Turner, left, and Rebecca Bennett with a little black lamb named Ripper which was a hit with young visitors to the school’s petting farm at the Good Life in Kendall on Saturday. Check out our gallery of photos at www.camdencourier.com.au
LIFE was good in Kendall on Saturday for visitors, locals, stallholders, organisers, exhibitors, line dancers, chooks, rabbits and, as far anyone could tell, the donkey, at this year’s Good Life in Kendall fair at the showground.
The sun was shining and while a bit of a breeze developed around lunch time, it wasn’t too bad and up until then the weather had been perfect, organisers said.
There was music playing, food cooking, a blacksmith hammering and lots more for visitors to listen to, taste and watch.
Member for Port Macquarie Leslie Williams officially opened the event, which ran from 9am to 4pm, and also joined in the annual “Longest Line” line dancing record attempt.
The local Longest Line - a challenge between line dancers in Maitland and boot scooters assembled on the day from Port Macquarie, Camden Haven, the Hunter and Kempsey - notched up a new record of 154 dancers, organiser Warren Parkinson said, easily beating Maitland’s previous record of 135.
All Longest Line participants donated $2 to take part, with the funds going to the Hastings Cancer Trust.
Overall, this year’s Good Life in Kendall was going fabulously, Mr Parkinson told the Courier around midday.
People contemplating a move to the Camden Haven area or who had recently bought an acreage had a chance to discuss the needs and advantages of keeping alpacas and Dexter cattle, while an array of craft goods and handmade items were on display and for sale at stalls in the grounds and in the pavilion.
Camden Haven High School had a major presence, with students doing face-painting, holding donkey rides and, most captivating of all for many younger visitors, running an animal nursery, with birds, chickens, rabbits and a black lamb to be looked at, touched and held.
High school staff were there to keep an eye on things and enjoy the sight of kids enthralled by their first close-up contact with an animal other than a cat or a dog.
Visitors Deb Bossley from Comboyne and Time Wearne from Black Creek said the fair gets better every year and this was the best yet, with more to take in and an array of great food and drinks to choose from for lunch.
Warren Parkinson felt much the same, believing this was the best Good Life so far.
Stall holders and exhibitors had been kept busy from about 9.30, he said, and had had a very successful time.
The Kendall Boxing Team building was very well attended and he praised the group for the work it did in providing a healthy activity for local young people as an alternative to sitting in front of a screen.
Money raised from the day will go towards running next year’s Good Life, the local photography competition, bush poets’ breakfast and the recycling competition, he said.
