Riverland Spring Events

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (15:15): I rise to speak about some of the spring events happening in the Riverland in recent weeks. First and foremost was the Waikerie Flower Show. This year's theme was 'At the Bottom of the Garden'. I attended it this year at the Waikerie Institute, and what a great event it was. The colours, the smells, the beautiful cut flowers at this show were nothing but exceptional. I have been to many flower shows in my time, and the flower show at Waikerie was an absolutely exceptional experience. Alethia Quick OAM was a special guest judge, and she also did an adult floral art demonstration, as well as a children's floral art workshop.

There were nearly 700 entries across the exhibitors, but what really shone out among those exhibitors were the 167 children's entries from 120 individual exhibitors. What that meant was that we are seeing the next generation of flower growers coming out of schools, out of the gardens, to demonstrate their skills and their art capabilities in entering these flower shows. The 600 visitors who came across into Waikerie to visit that flower show was truly inspirational. Next year's theme, 'Immersed in your Garden', will happen on 17 and 18 October in 2025.

The major event in the spring calendar was the Riverland Rose and Garden Festival. It was their 30^th anniversary this year and it was kicked off with a gala dinner. I did attend it, and it really was something special. Sophie Thomson, who is a renowned media personality, gardener, guru, was there to entertain us. She was also there the following morning to officially open the Rose and Garden Festival. What we saw there was a showcase of all things Riverland.

Many of you would understand and know that the Riverland is said to be the rose capital of the world, and I guess obviously one of our pioneers of the roses was David Ruston, may he rest in peace. He was the pioneer, and he had one of the largest rose collections in the Southern Hemisphere. That was all-inspiring to people who have visited his rose garden over the many years. Those 30 years were encapsulated this year particularly with the open gardens right around the Riverland, all 35 of them. I have visited some of those labours of love through the course of time.

What we must say is that the festival is continuing to grow. The committee is just outstanding. Michelle Dominic did an outstanding job, ably assisted by Rebecca Kennedy and Frankie Dunhill. Some of those committee members are John Chapple, Murray Harvey, Graham Matthews, Glenys Matthews, and Glenda Malinovski. They did an outstanding job, and also assisted with the guests of the committee.

I also want to touch on another event that I attended through the course of the weekend, and that was the Renmark North Primary School Centenary. Many people in this chamber would be envious of any primary school, any school at all, that has lasted a century, has been around for 100 years through the thick and thin, and the boom and bust of a regional setting.

The kicking off of the celebration was, of course, the 65^th annual school continental, then followed by a centenary dinner at the Renmark Club. One hundred and eighty people attended from a very, very small regional school and we were entertained by a number of those ex-students and ex-teachers. There was Pat Mickan of the Mickan family—who are very widely known—a sporting hero, not only in the Riverland but in South Australia, and ably assisted by Anne Ruston. We all know Senator Anne Ruston, who has a significant background in roses, gardens and also representing South Australia in the Senate.

What I must say is that the open day was the highlight. It was walking down memory lane, open classrooms, the memorabilia room with that 100 years of history on display. They dug up the time capsule from 1974 and the 75^th anniversary time capsule from 1999 was also opened, so sealing off that official centenary time capsule. I want to say thank you to all of the people who brought the event together, and to Leona Rover, Athina Lioutas and Helen McInerney, for making the event such a great success It really does demonstrate and highlight the community, in a small country setting, coming together for what is now one of the great events on the country calendar.