News

Oak Park opens up for Health Muster

By Trish Gallacher

Oak Park, about 300 km from Charters Towers, is normally known for its famous race day, but this weekend health will replace horses for the first E-Village Outback Health & Fitness Muster.

Held in the same location as the races, which have been running for over 100 years, the event includes a full program of health and wellbeing services that are normally only available in city areas.

High profile sports personalities from the NQ Cowboys, Queensland Cricket and Olympian Lara Davenport (pictured below), will also be available to give tips and advice on health living and exercise.

The Muster is also an opportunity to get together and camp out in the Oak Park camping grounds with friends and family. Campers can enjoy Saturday Night’s Campfire Capers along with other fun activities including  damper making and beef jerkey competitions.

Sponsor of this year’s event, Charters Towers E-Village:

Events such as the Health Muster are helping bring people in rural and remote areas together for a weekend of education, information and lots of family fun and entertainment.

Charters Towers E-Village is all about bringing communities together. For many people living in this area the opportunity to access services and socialise with others is not always an option. Events such as the Health Muster are setting up type of weekend community and the benefits are all positive”.

The event is also supported by Queensland Health and the Australian Red Cross.

It’s not just a great opportunity for people to access this event, It’s also a a wonderful opportunity for service providers to be invited and join together to share a weekend in the outback, said Steering Committee Member Anthea Skinner.

The muster will include:

• Primary Health Care services, demonstrations and promotion consisting of Health Practitioners, Clinical Nurses, Service Providers, Professional and Operational Staff

• Food identification and nutritional value, organics and fluid intake information (local and elite nutritionist)

• The benefits of healthy living explanation (local and elite athletes and fitness professionals)

• “Top Tucker Turnout” (Homemade jerky competition and Damper cooking contest) and “Muster Olympic Memorabilia Auction”

• Fitness, sport, recreation and self-esteem displays, demonstrations, workshops, information, services, suppliers, pathways and promotion

• Supervised sport, recreation and fitness activities for the kids

For more information or to obtain a copy of the program contact blusport@westnet.com.au or ph. 40962489