THE DAY before the 2024 Avon Descent the water level at Extracts Weir outside of
Toodyay looked too low for competitors to shoot over the weir.
Race day came around and Mother Nature saved the day with water flowing at a rapid rate of knots over the weir.
What had been dry riverbed barely 24hours before was now under water and still rising as spectators jockeyed for viewing spots overlooking the weir.
The Avon River is renowned for rising rapidly, and just as suddenly dropping.
“The weather gods were good to us this year”, said Greg Kaeding, Chair of Northam’s Avon Descent Association.
On race day, the Avon was rising with ample water flowing over Extracts Weir.
More than enough to tempt competitors to take on the weir, and most successfully
navigated the rock-laden torrent of water.
Not a single competitor was seen by this writer to carry their watercraft around the weir and past the throng of spectators.
Those competitors that came to grief at Extracts with some cartwheeling through the air may in hindsight have preferred the carrying option.
These incidents unfortunately resulted in one powerboat and two minijet participantssustaining non-life-threatening injuries shortly after entering the formidable whitewater rapids in the area.
The Avon Descent Safety Unit (ADSU) responded with impressive speed and efficiency providing immediate medical attention where required.
St John Ambulance services were also on-site, ensuring the injured participants received the highest possible standard of care and professionalism.
The competitors passed by the Toodyay International Food Festival en route to the overnight camp at Cobbler Pool, before finishing the race the next day.
The Food Festival was a busy event with both Stirling and Duidgee Parks packed with visitors, food vans, stilt walkers and bands pumping out renditions of covers and no doubt some original tunes as well.
The skateboard park was abuzz with a skating competition and many of the young competitors were getting “air” with some landing to plan and others not so much.
On what was a fine and sunny day it would be fair to say August 10 was a successful day for Toodyay.
After all, it is only once a year that river racers pass through town, and crowds throng Duidgee and Stirling Parks, as well bustling down Stirling Terrace, all on the same day.
In a little less than one year Toodyay does it all again, and why not?
THE VIETNAM War was Australia’s longest military engagement of the 20th Century.
A huge thanks to our corporation members and to Dudja Dreaming services who helped
A feature of the day was the ‘Classic Clashes’ country footy scoreboard truck
