Cunnamulla to host Melbourne Cup Visit

The Melbourne Cup will be in Cunnamulla on Tuesday 19th September and Mayor Suzette Beresford is calling on the community to get involved and form a working committee to prepare and organise an event on the day.

The Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour is one of the most important initiatives of the Victoria Racing Carnival and since its inception in 2003, the three-handled Cup has travelled far and wide across Australia and the world, travelling over 900,000 kilometres, visiting more than 590 destinations, engaging with tens of thousands of people and raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for local fundraising initiatives.

In 2023, the $200,000 Cup will for the first-time visit Cunnamulla, former home to Darby McCarthy one of Australia's elite jockeys of the 1960s through to the 1980s.

Cunnamulla and the Paroo Shire has a long and strong racing history spanning back more than 150 years.

Mayor Beresford said, ‘I am grateful to the Cunnamulla & District Diggers Race Club who has always maintained a clear vision to keep racing alive in the bush’.

'Picnic meetings in many locations are a thing of the past but we are proud to say that the commitment by a few have kept the Noorama Picnic Races thriving.

I thank the many people that have contributed to the success of horse racing in our shire and look forward to celebrating all concerned as part of these great celebrations. When it comes to horse racing success, we certainly have an extensive list of owners, trainers, jockeys, bookies, stewards, workers and connections to celebrate when the Melbourne Cup visits’ explained Mayor Beresford.

The inception meeting of the working committee is set to be held at the CCEC Kookaburra Room on Wednesday 5 th July at 8am. Come along, collaborate and help us create a memorable event celebrating this exciting occasion. Should you wish to be part of the working committee, however, are unable to attend on Wednesday please express your interest via email to [email protected].

Download Media Release here.

To obtain more information, please refer to the Paroo Shire Council’s website www.paroo.qld.gov.au where the agenda and minutes of all Council meetings are posted. To subscribe to the eNewsletter group click on News & Events then click on Newsletters and sign up. Contacting Council – should residents wish to contact Council regarding any matter, whether it’s an enquiry, reporting an issue, making a suggestion or lodging a complaint, please use the email [email protected]