Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
MC of the day Evlyn Bailey, and Diane Guandalini
By Victoria Velton
The Melbourne Cup brought a buzz to Macknade Bowls Club when supporters gathered for the Herbert River Museum's Melbourne Cup fundraiser, helping raise vital funds to keep the Halifax museum operating.
Now in its fourth year at the club, the annual event has become a popular gathering, with the air-conditioned venue providing a comfortable place for guests to enjoy lunch, watch the race and try their luck in the sweep and raffles.
Herbert River Museum president Coral Gard said the fundraiser was one of the museum's major events of the year, alongside its mid-year raffle, with all proceeds going towards keeping the museum open.
However, attendance was down by about 20 people this year, leaving organisers uncertain about whether the event would return in 2027.
"We're down on numbers this year. We're close to costs and things like that, but the money we raise here goes towards keeping the museum at Halifax open, and it's one of our major fundraisers for the year," Mrs Gard said.
"I don't know if we'll have it next year or not yet. With numbers being down, we're hoping we'll be able to, but we'll see what happens."
Guests enjoyed catering by Mary and Gierra, with gluten-free and dairy-free options available, while a lucky table draw, door prize and extensive raffle added to the excitement between the day's races.
Around 51 raffle prizes were up for grabs, alongside three jackpot prizes, with generous contributions from businesses and supporters across Halifax, Lucinda and Ingham.
Mrs Gard thanked the local sponsors who helped make the event possible, including various businesses such as the Halifax Hotel, Hinchinbrook Community Pharmacy, numerous local eateries, the Lucinda Store, Slipway Restaurant and Vista Hinchinbrook. The Lucinda Hotel also donated a $100 voucher for the lucky door prize.
"We couldn't do this without the sponsors," Ms Gard said.
The fundraiser comes as the Herbert River Museum undergoes refurbishment following flood damage, with work taking longer than initially expected.
The floors had sunk after the February flooding in 2025 and needed to be rebuilt, with old flooring removed and new layers installed. Some of the original beams were able to be salvaged, preserving a staff favourite feature of the historic building.
The museum is now expected to remain closed until February 2027, with further time needed to complete the work and return exhibits and furnishings to the rooms.
Mrs Gard said the museum was looking forward to welcoming visitors back once the refurbishment was complete.
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