The 2022 Rainbow Beach Sandcastle Competition held last week attracted a terrific turn-out of visitors and locals, with 22 teams creating
incredible sand sculptures on the main beach north of the flags.
The exuberance of the entrants was matched by fierce competitiveness with every team feeling confident of victory and indeed all deserved a medal for the enthusiasm and sportsmanship shown.
The day was a nod to halcyon family days at the beach giggling, playing in the sand and having a chat to your beach neighbours.
Organiser Ronnie Timperon said she was thrilled to see the beach full of happy families and friends who dedicated two hours to working hard on their unique designs which ranged from a traditional sandcastle complete with stairs and turrets, to a mother turtle and her babies scurrying towards the ocean and everything in between.
Ronnie said the idea of holding a sandcastle competition came from a childhood memory.
“My father was President of the local Progress Association and used to run similar competitions at a small beach-side town called Weymouth in northern Tasmania.
“It seemed like the whole town came down to the beach on those days to build sandcastles and it brought everyone together, with people making friends with other residents that they had only ever seen in passing driving down the street.”
Arron McCormack from Sandshapers on the Sunshine Coast spent the morning creating an incredible sleeping dragon to the delight of those taking part in the competition and locals and visitors taking a morning stroll along the beach.
He then had the difficult task of judging the winners of the three categories: best sea creature (winning team Fishbones), best sandcastle (winning team Seagulls) and a miscellaneous category (winning team Sandsation).
Entrants and passers-by were each given a token to vote for their favourite sand creation in the People’s Choice category which was won by Team Janicky.
Great prizes for the winners of each category were donated by local businesses and included vouchers from the Frying Fish Cafe, Rainbow Beach Pizza, Soul Food and Creme de la Creme with toys, fishing rods and caps donated by Gympie Sportspower, the Rainbow Beach Post Office and Rainbow Beach Hardware and Easter eggs from Rainbow Beach IGA.
“I would also like to thank Sam and Maureen Mitchell from the Rainbow Beach Tourist Information Centre who donated a ball to every child who participated in the competition and Traveston McDonald’s who donated vouchers for the winning teams.”
“Special thanks to Cooloola Coast Realty, Rainbow Beach Realty and the Rainbow Beach Community News for their assistance of finance allowing Arron from Sandshapers to be present on the day and with supplies for the sausage sizzle.”
Ronnie’s wonderful helpers who looked after registration and the sausage sizzle included Jed Elmer, Bec Hunt, Kerry Sleath, Sarah Booth, Sandra Lindenberg, Nate Hunt and Marcus Anderson, plus a few others who were roped in on the day.
Money raised from the event will go towards supporting the Rainbow Beach Learning Community which provides activities such as sewing, cooking, art, craft and computer skills for children who are being home schooled.
