Community
23 August, 2024
Winter warmer
MORE than 600 people rugged up and headed to Flagstaff Hill last Saturday night to enjoy ‘Fire Night.’
The large crowd braved the cool night air and were rewarded with live music from Nick Alexander, a twilight cannon firing, a range of food trucks and fires along the wharf that were perfect for toasting marshmallows.
The Flagstaff Hill tea rooms also brewed up their own special recipe of homemade hot chocolate which proved very popular among young and old.
Flagstaff Hill acting manager Ash Ansell said he was pleased to see such a great response from locals and visitors, with numbers increasing from the inaugural event held last year.
“Speaking to the guests, some had travelled from as far as Hamilton just for the event,” Mr Ansell said.
“There were also people who were visiting Warrnambool from further afield; places like Melbourne, South Australia and Tasmania, who were excited to be able to attend such a fun event which they weren’t planning for.
“And locals I spoke with felt that it was great to have a unique, cost-friendly event during winter.”
Mr Ansell said the weather was cool but perfect.
“People don’t necessarily want to stay inside all winter. If there are events on and it’s not bucketing rain, people are happy to head out and join the fun,” he said.
“Our wider tourism campaign for Warrnambool is to embrace the winter and events like Fire Night fit in perfectly.”
Flagstaff Hill also hosted International Lighthouse Weekend, with the Warrnambool Men’s Shed amateur radio group making contact with lighthouses around the world.
Janice Haynes, known as the ‘lady of history,’ also entertained patrons over the weekend with interactive performances as her alter egos Aaarrabella the Piratess and Irish Convict, as well as Rose Ann Hyland, a survivor of the Neva Shipwreck.
