Moree’s Young Aggies are ready to throw their night of nights event this weekend. The annual Gold Rush Ball will be held this Saturday 21 September for a sold-out crowd of 500 people and, if previous years are anything to go by, the evening will not disappoint.
Since the event first kicked off in 2017, the ball has gone from strength to strength.
“Last year was probably our biggest year to date, both in attendance and money raised. This year looks even bigger so we know it’s going to be an absolute cracker of a night,” Ball organiser, Jess Towns, said.
“This is one of the few formal events and the biggest sit-down event that Moree has so it’s really exciting for the community.”
Organised by Young Aggies Moree, the night serves two purposes, firstly raising vital funds for local organisations and the Young Aggies Rural Scholarship fund, and secondly as an exercise in education and networking for those interested, or already working in the agricultural industry.
This year’s event will be held at the Moree Race club, where attendees will be treated to drinks and canapes, a three-course meal by Relish Catering, live music from Route 33 and an address from guest speaker Tony Lockrey from AMPS Agribusiness.
“Hearing Tony Lockrey speak will be a real highlight for the evening,” said Ms Towns.
“Not only has he always been incredibly supportive of Young Aggies, but he is such an incredible source of knowledge about agronomy and farming.”
Funds from this year’s ball will be distributed across the Rural Scholarship fund and local charities, the beneficiaries to be announced at the event on Saturday evening.
There will also be an auction held on the night, which Ms Towns tells us is double the size of last year’s pool.
“It’s so rewarding to be able to give back to our rural partners and be able to help the progress of Moree,” said Ms Towns.
The Rural Scholarship Program offers a student undertaking tertiary study in the field of agronomy, or related agricultural fields, the chance to come and work in the Gwydir Valley for a two-week period.
“The scholarship is a great opportunity for someone who wants to gain more knowledge in say feed lots, or cotton, or agronomy to come and stay in the region, work with one of our local businesses and get some more experience under your belt,” said Ms Towns.
“We’re also always hopeful that there’s a mutual benefit in this kind of networking and that we’ll get some of these students back to work in the area once they’ve finished their studies.”
“This is ultimately what Young Aggies is all about – attracting and retaining our next generation of agriculturalists.”
Tickets to the ball are all sold out for this year, but Ms Towns says that anyone interested is always welcome to attend one of the Young Aggies’ monthly meetings.
“All are welcome – whether you work in agriculture or you’re just interested in learning a bit more about what goes on in this major part of our region’s economy,” said Ms Towns.
For more information about Young Aggies, visit their Social pages on either Facebook or Instagram.
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