Major rural events bolstered by QCS Work Camps
It’s arguably Cloncurry’s biggest and most important weekend of the year, but before the crowds roll in and the rodeo rides into town the Julia Creek Work Camp is already hard at work behind the scenes helping turn one of Outback Queensland’s most iconic community celebrations into reality.
The famous Cloncurry Merry Muster Festival – or ‘The Curry’ as locals know it – has been running for more than 70 years, hosting Australia’s highest single pay-out professional rodeo and driving vital tourism to the remote region, supporting local business and injecting millions into the outback economy.
For several days prior to the event, up to a dozen work camp prisoners and their field supervisor undertake a range of jobs to ensure the event is ready to go well before tourists and competitors arrive.
Acting Correctional Manager, Townsville Correctional Complex Oden Gough said the work camp provided a vital source of labour for the town of just 3,000 residents who rely on major events to showcase their culture and lifestyle.
Prisoners from Julia Creek Work Camp help setup for the Cloncurry Merry Muster.
“Our role generally starts with tasks like cleaning grandstands, tables and chairs and bar areas before unpacking shipping containers of equipment,” Oden said.
“We would then move on to erecting temporary boundary fencing, star picketing, putting up perimeter flagging for parking areas and camping etc.
“The next day may consist of putting up fencing banners and screening off areas and setting up the main rodeo arena with banners, flags and marquees.
“It’s a massive undertaking for the Work Camp, but they’re well practiced in assisting these types of event setups, taking the pressure off organisers and local councils who would otherwise need to source labour elsewhere.”
The work doesn’t stop once the event begins, with the work camp continuing their support where possible during the event, before finally helping with pack down activities well after the rodeo has ridden off into the sunset.
Prisoners from the Julia Creek Work Camp undertake a range of duties.
Major events like The Curry provide an economic lifeline and social connection for the community, at the same time acting as an opportunity for low-security prisoners to make reparation and give back to the community while serving their sentence, supporting reform and rehabilitation to make our communities safer.
The work comes just weeks after the Boulia Work Camp wrapped up their support of the equally iconic Boulia Camel Races.
The extra sets of hands came in handy for organisers in that tiny town of just 200, with the work camp setting up starting barriers, fixing the camel tagging area, completing garbage runs during the event and helping dismantle the main tent following the event.
Work Camp Supervisor Allan Sotheren said the work camp had supported Australia’s richest camel race – dubbed the Melbourne Cup of camel racing – nearly every year since it was first run in 1997.
Prisoners assist with fencing at Boulia Work Camp
“The work the men do is impressive, with skilled and unskilled prisoners working as a team to achieve great results every time,” Allan said.
“The Boulia Work Camp has a long history with councils and event organisers around the district to support their activities, and we are proud to be a respected part of the local community.”
Earlier this year, the Julia Creek and Boulia work camps supplied prisoners to assist with the setup, running of, and clean up for the Julia Creek Dirt N Dust Festival (April) and Cloncurry Show (June) alongside support for a range of smaller events.
Queensland Corrective Services operates 13 QCS Work Camps throughout the state, providing an opportunity for low security prisoners to develop employment skills and give back to regional communities through work projects that are unique to the location and the community’s needs.