Festival-goers enjoyed market stalls, rock climbing and a jumping castle, tested their mettle in the Tin Man/Woman challenge and watched the Tin Princesses light up at their crowning ceremony.

“It was just a huge success, beyond anyone’s expectation,” Tingha Citizens Association Incorporated (TCAI) chairperson Colleen Graham said. 

She attributed the festival’s “success beyond belief” to its new location in the sports ground, as well as added attractions and stalls.

“We always try to keep improving. We never want people to say, ‘I’m not going next year, it’s the same as last year,’” she said.

“We want it to be successful and enjoyable for everyone”.

The highlight on Saturday was the strenuous Tin Man and Tin Woman challenges, won by Jayden Griffiths and Haley Nichols. 

Competitors ran in the hot sun with wheelbarrows filled with rocks. 

“They had to basically emulate the things that the old miners did, run with rocks in wheelbarrows, be a bit like the old miners,” Colleen said. 

“They were exhausted!”

The Tin Lids (or lads) also had a blast with billycart, wheelbarrow and sand bags races.

The princess competition was very popular with 20 entrants.

“The little darlings looked so gorgeous and they all deserved to win,” she said. Lahkaysah Blacklock was ecstatic to be crowned Little Miss Tin Princess after keenly entering every year.

“She was such a worthy little winner and so excited.” 

Another Tingha local, Morgan Squire, took the Junior Princess title. There were no entries for the senior category.

“They were all outstanding, I’m just glad that I’m not a judge,” Colleen said. 

Two very different Tin Man sculptures were created: a rusty Chinese tin panner nicknamed Pat Pang, to be immortalised in the Tingha Gems Caravan Park and a bright yellow minion which will make its home in Tingha Public School. Colleen said the scrap metal competition was something the TCAI hoped to keep building on, livening up the small town with unique sculptures.

To see a full gallery of the Tin Princesses, click here.