Dressed to impress at the Riverina Harvest Ball are Minette Fealy, Sarah-Jane Sheridan (secretary), Kathy Moloney (treasurer), Leeanne Dalitz (president), Chantelle Gorman, Kate Smith and Tarin Moar. Absent: May Day, Jessie Lawlor and Alyssa Nixon. Photo: Morgan Collins
Oaklands. The average punter imagines a grain receival site flanked by endless hectares of cropping country, somewhere between Mulwala and Berrigan in southern NSW. But there’s a lot more to the tiny town than meets the eye, writes CARLY MARRIOTT.
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For the past 18 years, thanks to a committed group of men and women with a love of glitz and glamour, Oaklands has established itself as the home of the Riverina Harvest Ball.
Every year on the second Friday in October, the Oaklands Memorial Hall undergoes a serious makeover — as do the 300-odd guests in attendance.
“It’s our last hurrah before the busy harvest period,” Riverina Harvest Ball Committee president Leeanne Dalitz said.
Like all good ideas, it was a borrowed one.
“The Urana Lawn Tennis Club used to run a fabulous black-tie ball; it was a big success, so we copied the template,” committee treasurer Kathy Moloney said
Kathy became a committee member by default when she married a former committee member and farmer Shaune Moloney.
As they say, imitation is the number one form of flattery, so the Oaklands locals got very busy flattering the Urana Lawn Tennis Club by organising the inaugural Riverina Harvest Ball in 2004.
What started out as an event for locals to come together before the endless days of the grain harvest, soon became a networking night where agribusiness industry leaders would jostle to get their name on the sponsors’ booklet.
“We originally had a handful of local businesses support the night and now we have multi-national companies and big four banks asking to be part of it,” Leeanne said.
“They see the value in bringing everyone together, to put a face to a name or an email address.
“Farming is a global but isolated affair — it can make a real difference by meeting the people you do business with.”
But it hasn’t always been a breeze motivating farmers, truck drivers and agribusiness workers to suit-up and frock-up as harvest loomed.
In a land of droughts and flooding rains, there have been years when the committee has had to phone around begging locals to attend.
“They either didn’t want to spend the money to go to the ball or they weren’t in the right head space. They just wanted to stay on the farm,” Leeanne said.
During the drought years, the refurbished Oaklands Memorial Hall — a beneficiary of ball funds — hosted a mere 80 people.
However, organisers knew if they stopped holding the event they wouldn’t be able to revive it. Or worse, another town would swoop in and pick up the baton.
The committee members created enough enthusiasm that the event now sells out in five minutes regardless of the weather conditions.
“It’s a lot of hard work, but seeing it come to fruition makes it worthwhile,” Kathy said.
While Oaklands is part of Federation Council, the merged Urana and Corowa shires, the committee is somewhat bankrolling its small community thanks to its one-night-only event.
During 18 years, funds raised from the ball have contributed to the Oaklands fire shed and defibrillator, Central School, recreation ground, Little Athletics group, Country Women’s Association, War Memorial Hall and the swimming pool committee.
This community values self-sufficiency but also recognises its limitations.
With a population of just 349, the committee invites businesses from neighbouring towns to deliver catering, bar services and live music — to the delight of its guests.
“The Riverina Harvest Ball shows what a small town is capable of, and it also lets people know they are part of something bigger, they’re not alone,” Kathy said.
“It’s a bonus that we get to do it while enjoying a classy event.”
The ball's decorations have gone from strength-to-strength.
The Oaklands Memorial Hall undergoes a makeover each year.
