Out of town activities

Questions? We love questions. We love how they make your voice go high at the end of sentences, and the way question marks can make a whole sentence out of only one word, like: Questions? Who needs answers to be happy? To pose the question is pleasure enough. So, why should you go to these top 10 curious gatherings? Why not?

Chopped

Now in its fourth year, the Chopped Rod and Custom Show is coming to Newstead Racecourse between Sep 30 and Oct 2. This part of Victoria, an hour and a half north of Melbourne, is actually the heart of custom country – nearby Castlemaine is dubbed the hotrod capital of Australia.

As well as some souped-up pre-1965 custom cars, bobber and chopper motorcycles, and two-lane, old-style drag races (what more would you expect from the Collingwood crew behind Chopped magazine), there’s a tiki bar and three days of live music, including SixFtHick, Brothers Grim, The Straight 8s, The Toot Toot Toots, Abbie Cardwell and the Chicano Rockers, The Rechords, Adrian Whyte, Cherrywood, Jackson Firebird, Captain Restless and the Lost Souls, and Frankie Alibi and the Fugitives. Newstead, VIC. 30 Sep - 2 Oct.

Deni Ute Muster

The town of Deniliquin, located just over the Victorian border in the Riverina district of NSW – although we’re happy to claim it as our own – boasts two of the biggest things in the world. Not the largest rice mill, admittedly (Deni’s rice mill is only the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere), but the annual Deni Ute Muster is second to none. Originally conceived as a sideshow to the larger Play on the Plains Festival, the Ute Muster caught on quickly as its biggest attraction. It was October 2, 1999 when Deniliquin first claimed the Guinness Book of Records title for the largest parade of legally registered utes in the world, with an amazing 2,839 drivers taking part. Which brings us to the second biggest thing. Last year the Muster set another Guinness World Record, when 3,500 people gathered in the Bull Ride Arena during the festival. It was the largest gathering ever of people wearing singlets. Chisel had a comeback show there last year; this year you can look forward to Icehouse. Riverina, NSW. 30 Sep - 1 Oct.

Hinterland Scarecrow Festival

If you go down to the Mornington Peninsula Hinterland today, you’re sure of a big surprise, because, from Moorooduc to Merricks, and Red Hill to Arthurs Seat, October is scarecrow-ber! The Hinterland Scarecrow Festival is on throughout the month, with quirky scarecrow creations being displayed in the front yards of orchards, cottages, cafes and galleries all along the Peninsula. Potential visitors can grab a copy of the Scarecrow Trail Map to help them navigate along the colourful and quirky trail. Local businesses are offering Scarecrow Specials including deals on accommodation, wine and Scarecrow inspired dishes. Plus there will be a Poetry Slam for the Launch on 1st October at Red Hill Market, when the Scarecrow-making competition winners will be announced. Look out for the judging panel made up entirely of crows. Mornington Peninsula, VIC. 1 - 31 Oct.

Yea Skite Fest

One Sky One World is a very nice idea and also the name of an organisation based in Denver, Colorado, that promotes annual activities in hundreds of locations around the world by utilising the “symbol of the kite and the ocean of air that we all share.” Last year marked the 25th annual event worldwide, and now thanks to the locals of Yea we have one to call our own. The Yea Skite Fest is cited as a family fun day, with activities including – you guessed it – kite flying. There is also a skate park competition, billy carts, more scarecrows, plus music and art. Organisers suggest that you bring a picnic and enjoy a day out at the Yea Railway Park, which consists of eleven acres of sunny, windy (fingers crossed), parkland. Yay! Yea Railway Park, Station St. 9 Oct.

Kaarimba Bake-Off

The quiet little farming town of Kaarimba in Northern Victoria is mostly famous for its cheese. It boasts a delicious, gold medal winning French-style brie (Locheilan Kaarimba Soft) that flows nicely when ripe. They also have an excellent blue cheese (Locheilan Broken Blue) named after the local creek. Kaarimba Hall is the only public building in this farming district, and is where the community will host a big Bake-Off and Afternoon Tea on Sunday 20th November. This event is part of a larger community arts initiative produced by Regional Arts Victoria called Home is Where the Hall is, that will present a huge range of activities all over Regional Vic during November. The events have been selected and designed by the local community, from bake–offs to dance competitions, photography exhibitions to film nights, as a grassroots way to celebrate these valued and vital community hubs. Get there early to see the judging and award presentations. Kaarimba Hall (Northern VIC). 20 Nov, 1.30pm.

Nowa Nowa Nudes

When Melbourne Cup Weekend rolls around this year try not to forget that you have choices. You can go right and look at some admittedly very fine horses running around, or you can go left and look at some admittedly very fine nudes. Nowa Nowa in Gippsland is definitely the place to be for the second option, with the Nowa Nowa Nudes weekend celebrating its 10th year in 2011. This event invites artists from all over the country to submit works relating to the human nude form, offering over $10,000 in prizes, and has become a much-loved, must-see exhibition on the Aussie art calendar. Opening nights are invariably a blast. The opening this year is on 28 October and promises to feature some large and wobbly inflatable art from the large and wobbly inflatable art specialists – Blow Up. Inflatable nudes? Hmmm. Eastern VIC. 28 Oct - 1 Nov.

The NightJar Market

The NightJar Market is named after an owlet that resides on the land along Torquay's Spring Creek, where the market is held each Thursday in January 2012. The land is set by the ocean on the Torquay foreshore, nestled amongst the trees down there along the gorgeous Great Ocean Road, and there is possibly no more pleasant a pastime in the late summer hours than to whittle away a little time here, a little cash there, while wandering casually around this place. The market boasts a surprisingly high calibre of emerging designers and contemporary artists along its ready-made streets. You can arrange to meet on the corner of Australia Made Lane and Fairtrade Road, or lurk in the backstreets of Artist Way and Designers Alley. Torquay, VIC. 5 - 26 Jan 2012, 4-10pm.

Fryerstown Antique Fair

Antique dealers and collectors share much in common with gold diggers and magicians in that they stubbornly refuse to share their secrets. Well I know at least one of their secrets, and I can tell you what it is in three simple words, and then I will give you the dates for when that secret happens, so that you can go there and share in the plentiful bounty of fine antiques, vases, kitchenware, furniture and Australiana that is the Fryerstown Antique Fair, out near Castlemaine and Bendigo. Fryerstown, VIC. 20 - 22 Jan 2012.

Ballarat Beer Festival

“Beer and Ballarat are two things I am very passionate about,” says hotelier Simon Coghlan. Considering that Simon’s great-great-grandfather founded the Ballarat Brewing Company, we are far from surprised. Also unsurprising is Simon’s deep knowledge and understanding of the boutique beer industry in Australia, which has led him, in partnership with fellow Ballarat hotelier Tim Kearney, to stage the inaugural Ballarat Beer Festival this coming January. Visitors will be able to taste-test new beers, learn about beer making, and buy food to match your beer. Television comedians Charlie Pickering and Danny McGinlay, recently appointed Directors of McGickering’s Brewing Industries (the world’s leading comedic home brewing enterprise), have been appointed event MCs. Ballarat City Oval, VIC. 21 Jan 2012.

Festival of Sails

The oldest sporting event in Victoria is not a football match or a beer festival, but a keelboat regatta. The Festival of Sails is also Australia’s largest keelboat regatta, attracting up to 450 yachts and over 4,500 competitors each year. The program begins prior to the fleet setting sail from Elwood in the historic Melbourne to Geelong passage race, on the 26th of January next year. The free program of activities through to 29th January includes live entertainment, roving performers, food and wine, art and craft markets, a free interactive 'Come and Try' Sports Zone, the Bay FM Fireworks Spectacular (26th Jan), and lots more along the Geelong waterfront. Royal Geelong Yacht Club, 26 - 29 Jan 2012.

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