The renowned community spirit of drought-battling Nymagee was on full display last Saturday as the small Cobar Shire village (population about 50) hosted a combined country music festival, an annual CWA flower show, art and produce exhibition, and for the sporting enthusiasts a district cricket competition match between the local Magpies and the Copper City’s Golf Club XI.

Hundreds of visitors from neighbouring towns and even interstate flocked to the historic and about-to-be-revived mining community for what was appropriately labelled by organisers as ‘A Day in the Dirt Nymagee-09’.

Many of the visitors braved several previous evening storms and camped outdoors in vacant locations around the village’s perimeter, temporarily swelling the population by several hundred.

Centres of entertainment were conveniently located close to the village’s main watering hole, the Nymagee Hotel, with country music artists performing on the main stage east of the hotel and the CWA exhibition held in the community hall on the western side.

Away to the north on a bare oval once utilised for both football and cricket, the Magpies displayed some great batting and bowling skills to outpoint their Cobar rivals Golf Club.

Locals described the event as a “great family fun day” and praised the travelling musicians and artists who generously donated their time and talents.

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the festival atmosphere by singing and dancing with the musicians, enthusiastically participating in the community flower show and exhibition, and providing the cricketers with plenty of support.

Popular artists performing on the day-long country music extravaganza included festival favourites the Lonely Horse Band, Andrew Hull, Tonchi, the Re-Mains, Neil Murray, the Junes and Liz Stringer.

One of the stand-out country and western performers was Cobar’s Jeff Grosser whose Slim Dusty-style ballads appropriately sounded loud and clear over the rural countryside around Nymagee.

While the country music fans enjoyed their musical feast, visitors also flocked to the nearby community hall with its stunning display of beautiful flowers, artwork, cooking, farm and garden produce, handicrafts and children’s craft.