Near-deserted SA town draws crowd for outback Ashes
With a population of just 10, Kingoonya, in the South Australian outback, is not home to enough people to field a single cricket team, let alone get a full game happening.
But every year the old railway town's headcount increases tenfold as players and spectators flock in for the Kingoonya Ashes.
Kingoonya Hotel owner Julie Brett said more than 100 people travelled from all over the country to attend the event, which saw a local team pitted against an opposing side of grey nomads.
"We had two teams of 21 this year which is the largest we've had," Ms Brett said.
"A team called Dad's Army won against the local team, the Flaming Flamingos.
"Dad's Army was made up of people from the Eyre Peninsula, including from Tumby Bay, Cummins and [Port] Lincoln.
"A local lady made a trophy up and they'll get their name engraved on that.
"Other than that, there were prizes for the best catch, the lowest run and the stupidest action."
Money raised for locals and charity
Ms Brett said the Kingoonya Ashes raised more than $6,500, a handy boost for the coffers of a community that, lacking a council, is largely self-funded.
"This year [the fundraiser] was for our local Kingoonya Progress Association," Ms Brett said.
"$5,000 is going towards that to pay for the upgrade of our water.
"We also raised $1,500 which is going to the Isolated Children's Parents' Association.
"It was a great success and we thank everyone for attending and come back next year."
The ICPA is an organisation which is focussed on providing education to children living in remote areas.
Historic hotel
Kingoonya's history is entrenched in hard work.
Ms Brett said the Kingoonya Hotel turned 80 years old last year, so it has serviced manual labourers and settlers.
"In 1937, the Kingoonya Hotel was built for my husband's grandma," Ms Brett said.
"Settlers were living here working on the rails because back then they didn't have all of the machinery, so they had a lot of people doing manual labour.
"We've been here for 6 years and we've owned it for about 6 or 7 months."
The Kingoonya Hotel's next big event, a reunion, will take place at Easter in April.
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ABC .net
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