western australia

picnic race meeting

Tin horses draw the tourists

@JudyEv (362419)

Rockingham, Australia

June 30, 2025 2:22am CST

I’ve talked before about small towns trying to come up with a theme or some way of appealing to motorists to stop and spend some time, and preferably some money, in their town. Kulin in Western Australia run a picnic race meeting once a year. The main activity is horse racing. People come from miles around to camp at the grounds and attend the various festivities. The local residents put an enormous amount of work into catering and making sure everyone has an enjoyable town. The campsite books out months ahead of the event. When the event was first held, farmers created a Tin Horse Highway with innovative creations featured in the paddocks along the roads leading into the town. Now, the town is renowned for its tin horses and they have become a tourist attraction in their own right. The collage shows just a few of the creations.

18 people like this

17 responses

@Juliaacv (54765)

• Canada

30 Jun

I just love that, people taking such great pride in their communities.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (362419)

• Rockingham, Australia

30 Jun

We had one politician, a younger guy who held the balance of power for a while. The ruling party needed his vote to get anything passed. He managed to get quite a large amount of money allocated to dozens and dozens of small towns. None of them had the money for sports centres or maybe a swimming pool or hall but with the Royalties for Regions program they were able to do something positive for their community. It's amazing how much pride the grants have generated in the small towns.

2 people like this

@Juliaacv (54765)

• Canada

30 Jun

@JudyEv The pride will carry out further than just attracting people to visit, it would put people's minds more in check when it comes to littering and generally keeping the area beautiful with what is planted and keeping it maintained.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (362419)

• Rockingham, Australia

30 Jun

@Juliaacv That's true. The small towns now look like their residents are proud of themselves.

2 people like this

@Ronrybs (21000)

• London, England

30 Jun

I like this sort of thing, is rustic art the right word? I did like horse radishes

3 people like this

@JudyEv (362419)

• Rockingham, Australia

30 Jun

I think 'rustic' is the exact right word. People can be very creative when they want to be.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (362419)

• Rockingham, Australia

30 Jun

@Ronrybs Having a drink is a good distraction from all sorts of things.

2 people like this

ultraman cosmos

@id_peace (16627)

• Singapore

30 Jun

Is it a day event or it will spread over a few days?

2 people like this

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ultraman cosmos

@id_peace (16627)

• Singapore

1 Jul

@JudyEv That is really nice. The horse racing was the finale or the highlight of the meeting?

2 people like this

@JudyEv (362419)

• Rockingham, Australia

30 Jun

It's spread over a weekend.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (362419)

• Rockingham, Australia

1 Jul

@id_peace I think the horse-racing would be the highlight of the event.

2 people like this

@LindaOHio (199928)

• United States

30 Jun

I'm a sucker for "the biggest" or road art like this.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (362419)

• Rockingham, Australia

1 Jul

There are more along another road that we didn't go down. Maybe next time.

2 people like this

@LindaOHio (199928)

• United States

1 Jul

@JudyEv I like the horse radishes.

2 people like this

@arunima25 (92249)

• Bangalore, India

30 Jun

Those are beautiful. And it does show the kind of effort and creativity gone there. They are really trying to make the experience a good one. I am sure that all this effort will pay off.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (362419)

• Rockingham, Australia

30 Jun

The picnic day generates a lot of income for the town and the area. The day is really popular.

2 people like this

@arunima25 (92249)

• Bangalore, India

1 Jul

@JudyEv That sounds good.

2 people like this

@Beestring (15779)

• Hong Kong

30 Jun

Those creations are beautiful.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (362419)

• Rockingham, Australia

30 Jun

I'm glad you like them. A lot of work has gone into them.

2 people like this

@terri0824 (5208)

• United States

30 Jun

Pretty cool...think I like the Horse Radish!

2 people like this

@JudyEv (362419)

• Rockingham, Australia

1 Jul

Someone else liked the radishes too! lol

1 person likes this

@snowy22315 (195601)

• United States

1 Jul

Anthing that captures people's interests is key I think.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (362419)

• Rockingham, Australia

1 Jul

Yes, I'm sure that's the thing to aim for.

1 person likes this

@allknowing (152994)

• India

1 Jul

These tin horses will withstand no matter what the weather.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (362419)

• Rockingham, Australia

1 Jul

Most will stand for a long time I'm sure.

2 people like this

@FourWalls (78477)

• United States

30 Jun

The band America is riding one of those tin horses with no name.

So cute! And I love the horse radishes!!

2 people like this

@JudyEv (362419)

• Rockingham, Australia

1 Jul

I don't think any of the horses have a name.

The radishes seem to be popular. lol

2 people like this

@LadyDuck (482960)

• Italy

30 Jun

I love those creations. It is so good to see that people still enjoy working to make a place enjoable.

2 people like this

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@LadyDuck (482960)

• Italy

30 Jun

I am not at all surprised.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (362419)

• Rockingham, Australia

30 Jun

There is probably quite a bit of rivalry to see who can come up with the most creative horse.

2 people like this

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@DaddyEvil (158833)

• United States

30 Jun

Some towns here do things like that to bring in tourist dollars, too. Almost all the small cities/towns in our area hold some type of festival every year with games, rides and food for the tourists to buy. I like your collage

1 person likes this

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@DaddyEvil (158833)

• United States

30 Jun

@JudyEv True... The towns have to do something before they dry up and blow away.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (362419)

• Rockingham, Australia

30 Jun

When the towns lose businesses and residents, the only way to bring money into the town may be through tourism.

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@Fleura (32494)

• United Kingdom

4 Jul

I like the knight on horseback! I would like to try making things like that. I have inherited a welding machine and hope to have a go!

1 person likes this

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@Fleura (32494)

• United Kingdom

4 Jul

@JudyEv I*'m just impressed they find the time to do that sort of thing. I find it really hard and I only have the garden to tend!

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (362419)

• Rockingham, Australia

4 Jul

There will be no holding you once you get started welding. I guess I had a bit of a preconceived idea about farmers (my Dad was one) but some are incredibly creative.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (362419)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Jul

@Fleura Good point but maybe from time to time they just get a strong creative urge and have to go with it.

1 person likes this

@BACONSTRIPSXXX (15806)

• Torrington, Connecticut

30 Jun

Very creative

1 person likes this

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@BACONSTRIPSXXX (15806)

• Torrington, Connecticut

1 Jul

@JudyEv Yeah I follow a guy on tik tok who goes to scrap yards and makes master pieces out of junk

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (362419)

• Rockingham, Australia

1 Jul

I thought so too. A lot of thought and work has gone into some of them.

1 person likes this

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@RebeccasFarm (95855)

• Arvada, Colorado

30 Jun

Such interesting places there you have Judy!

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (362419)

• Rockingham, Australia

30 Jun

We enjoyed our four days away. We're probably taking off again tomorrow.

@wolfgirl569 (121935)

• Marion, Ohio

30 Jun

Those are very interesting. Creative designs

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (362419)

• Rockingham, Australia

1 Jul

I think they have all set out to outdo each other.

1 person likes this

@JESSY3236 (21008)

• United States

1 Jul

Love those creations.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (362419)

• Rockingham, Australia

4 Jul

They are something a bit different, aren't they?

1 person likes this