Rodney Stevens
Hundreds of tourists and locals headed to Yamba’s Main Beach last Saturday for the annual Yamba Rotary Family Fun Day with about 200 people competing in the popular sand modelling competition.
The Yamba Rotary Club BBQ fired up around 9am providing sausage sandwiches as sustenance for hundreds of eager competitors… which sold out.
From 9.30am the competition kicked off with people of all ages enjoying the three-legged races, sack races, egg and spoon races, fill the bucket, and the popular tug-o-war.
Since 1998, Steve Machell has been wowing crowds at beaches all over Australia with his spectacular sand sculptures by his company Sandology.
Hundreds of people gathered around Mr Machell as he demonstrated the techniques he uses to create magnificent sand masterpieces, before a record 51 teams competed in the sand modelling competition.
Using only items found on the beach, and a bucket and spade, teams filled the sand of Main Beach with sand sculptures of all shapes and sizes.
Trophies were awarded to the winners of the sand modelling competition, three-legged races, sack races, egg and spoon races, fill the bucket, and tug-o-war.
Yamba Rotary Club secretary Rick Angelo said the 2024 Family Fun Day was a huge success with the smiles on participants faces lighting up the beach with excitement.
“We had the biggest registration for the sand modelling competition that we’ve had for many years, we had 51 teams compete this year and in recent times we usually get about 30 teams,” he said.
“The games on the beach were very popular with people of all ages enjoying the egg and spoon races, the three-legged races, sack races, fill the bucket and tug-o-war.
“This day was set up to give back to the community, it’s not a really big money-making day for us, and this year was huge success with the crowd the Family Fun Day drew and seeing people’s reactions and excitement on the day made it a memorable event.”
Yamba Rotary Club would like to thank Grafton Midday Rotary members Robert and Gerelle Blanchard and Mark and Avron Thompson for their help on the day as well as Tearn and Lachie for their assistance.