STEFAN BRADLEY
By STEFAN BRADLEY
CAN you imagine Heyfield without timber? Last year, the Heyfield Timber Festival returned 27 years after the last event, and judging by this year’s showing, it’s here to stay. The 2023 festival took place on the weekend of February 18 and 19, and there was something for everyone. On the Saturday, there was woodchopping, the Tim Coleman Stunt Show, a carnival, free kids activities, markets, truck show, vintage displays, dog jumping, tug-of-war, bands, bars and food trucks – the list went on and on. Sunday saw people gather in the streets to watch the parade, followed by the vigil at the Timber Workers Memorial, where Heyfield Football-Netball Club hosted a sausage sizzle, and 51 Coffee sold milkshakes, slushies and of course, coffee. Heyfield Timber Festival Committee secretaryKayla Stevenson, said the weekend surpassed expectations. “The whole committee is extremely happy with the turnout we had,” she said. “It is awesome to see so many faces at the event. There where so many families there, which is great to see as we try make sure there is something for not only the children but the adults also, so everyone has something to enjoy. “The small but dedicated committee are definitely going to be holding our next event in February 2024. We hope we can create another awesome family day out for everyone to come back and enjoy.” Heyfield Timber Festival Committee president Felicia Stevenson, said the event was very important for the local community. “It brings the local community together, it brings people to our town and it’s a part of Heyfield’s history,” Felicia said. “I grew up in Heyfield and remember going to the event as a child, it was a huge event. My involvement with the festival was to bring it back and create a family fun day out, and to showcase the sustainability of the industry.” Ms Stevenson said the committee hoped that the upcoming closure of the native timber industry won’t have an effect on the festival. “We come together to reunite the timber festival event not only to show the sustainability of the timber industry, but to bring the community and the industry together as one, and to hold an event that families can come and enjoy,” she said. “It comes to the fact that (the state government) doesn’t realise the flow-on-effect and what will happen to the small communities.”
