A record number of businesses filled the rugby park on the weekend for the fourth Northern Inland 4×4, Fishing, Caravan and Camping Expo.
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Shooting up to around 80 exhibitors from 32 in its first year, event founder Heath Roberts was pleased to see the expo still going strong.
Fishing enthusiasts enjoyed the supertank demonstration once again, while amateur chefs took tips from the camp oven and cooking demonstration. Children and adults alike were wowed by the reptile show and many came along for the four wheeled drive display.
“I think most of them made the most of the entertainment that we had,” Heath said.
Caravans remained a popular item on show, with outdoor-lovers also seeking out deals on boats, camping gear and all things hunting and fishing.
With 5500 visitors through the gates compared to last year’s 6300, attendance was slightly down.
A lot of them are coming back bigger and better.
- Heath Roberts
“The only thing we can attribute that to is such a late harvest for all the farmers. There’s a lot of people still working there to try and get crops off and weren’t able to get in to come to the show,” Heath said.
Despite the drawback, sales continued to rise, putting the expo in good stead for the future.
“Talking to a lot of the exhibitors, they had really, really good sales for the weekend. A lot of them had better sales than last year. So the numbers were down a little bit but the sales were up,” Heath said.
Heath is looking forward to an even bigger event next year.
“A lot of people have expressed that next year they’ll definitely be back, and a lot of them are coming back bigger and better,” he said. He said there was also a number enquiries from new exhibitors.
A fundraiser for the Inverell Rugby Club, the funds raised will go towards maintaining and building the club’s infrastructure.