Hear Yee! Hear Yee! Town Crier recognised for loudest cry in Australia

Congratulations are in order for our Town Crier Kevin Howarth who has now been officially recognised as having the loudest cry in Australia at 97.5 decibels, taking out the honour at the 26th National Town Crier Championships at Warrnambool, Victoria on the weekend.

Our town crier also took out the People’s Choice Award. The overall winner was Stephen Clarke from the New South Wales Central Coast.

Toowoomba Regional Council Environment and Community Committee Chair Cr Geoff McDonald said “Our Town Crier competed against some of the world’s best Town Criers, and to take out these awards was not only an achievement for Kevin but also for Toowoomba and the Region.

“This year Council and the Region have won a host of awards for our projects, work and achievements and now we can add having the loudest Town Crier in Australia to that list as well” Cr McDonald.

Town Crier Australian Chief Judge Mark Overell said “The cries were all noteworthy. It was a tight competition as we’d expected. The standard was very high”.

This year’s theme was Shipwreck Coast. Competitors presented two town cries up to 125 words each.

Cries were judged on poise, bearing, confidence, clarity, content, pitch and protocol.

“And volume to this and criers were louder than a lawnmower” Mr Overell said.

“Toowoomba Region is one of the best places in the world to live. We have a proud history and a myriad of talented people that help make up the fabric of our community. There can never be enough encouragement and support for those that make a difference in our community” Cr McDonald said.

“We have so many examples of people in our community doing amazing work. Those that do ordinary everyday tasks in an extraordinary way, our town crier being one of them” Cr McDonald said.