Update – Women’s Country Carnival heading back to Echuca Moama

by Melanie Allen

A late change will see the 2022 annual Women’s Country Carnival head back to Echuca Moama this year.

After announcing the Mornington Peninsula Bowls Region (MPBR) as the new location for the 2022 Carnival late last year, it is with mixed emotions that we now advise that the Carnival will not be moving to the MPBR, and will instead be held in Echuca Moama, hosted by the Campaspe Playing area of the Bendigo Campaspe Goldfields Bowls Region (BCGBR).

The MPBR sited the ongoing current COVID situation as the main reason for their decision to cancel the event in their Region, as well as various MPBR and club events.

With the 2020 event cancelled due to COVID travel restrictions, the Carnival bounced back and was very well attended in 2021. With bowlers looking forward to the 2022 event in the new Mornington Peninsula location, Bowls Victoria acknowledges that there may be some disappointed bowlers impacted by this decision.

However, we are incredibly grateful to the wonderful team of women in the Campaspe Playing Area, in particular last year’s Carnival Committee, for putting their hands up to host the event at short notice. Drawing on their many years of experience hosting and running the Carnival, we know it will be a great success, and we encourage female bowlers around the State to get on board and support this much-loved event.

“The Campaspe Playing Area, BCGBR President Paul Moller, along with the former 2021 Women’s Country Carnival Committee, are pleased to be able to again host this wonderful event on the bowls calendar. We know many of our regular attendees were looking forward to a move to the lovely Mornington Peninsula, but we have amazing clubs and organisers in Echuca Moama who we know will do a great job of hosting the hundreds of women that will hopefully be heading our way in April”, said Committee Chair Pat Schram.

Entries to all events will open on Monday 6th February and close on 6th March. Event schedule can be found below, with host clubs to be announced early next week:

Fours – Sunday 3^rd April (either Echuca, Moama or Rich River)
Pairs – Monday 4^th April (venue TBC)
Knockout for pairs – Tuesday 5^th April (venue TBC)
Knockout for fours – Wednesday 6^th April (venue TBC)
Consolation fours – Wednesday 6^th April (venue TBC)

We again thank the newly formed WCC Committee (made up of previous members), for coming together again at short notice to throw their support behind the Carnival, ensuring that the event goes ahead in 2022.

Expressions of Interest for the 2023 Carnival will open to all Victorian Regions later this year.