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MORE than 300 caravans converged on Terara last weekend for the 2016 Terara Country Music Campout.
The biggest and best yet according organiser Owen Ison.
Mr Ison and his wife Thelma turned their Millbank Road property into a new mini Nowra suburb for the annual three-day campout.
At the height of the weekend on Saturday evening, 750 people watched the country artists perform.
“It was a great weekend,” Mr Ison said.
“We had 303 vans in for the campout. By far our biggest and best yet. It was just a great weekend.”
That was up on the 270 vans last year.
“We had great numbers on Saturday and a number of them were locals which was great to see,” Mr Ison said.
Affectionately known as “Owie’s World”, from the air, the property just east of Nowra, as shown by Max Cochrane’s photograph, resembled a new instant suburb.
“We actually had the chance to go up in the helicopter with Max and it was amazing to see the size of the campout,” he said.
“It was brilliant to see and surprising to see how many vans were actually in.”
The now annual event raises money for a number of local charities.
“We had one gent travel all the way from Cairns,” he said.
“He travelled all the way down with his van and ended up holidaying along the way.
“Visitors came from far and wide. Many have come from areas that are suffering severe drought and they were surprised how green and lush it is here.
“I even had a couple of campers borrow a lawn mower so they could mow under their annexes.
“A lot of the campers come and stay for a week or more. Instead of travelling all this way for a couple of days, they make a holiday of it.
“They spend a lot of money in the local area. They are always going out for lunch and dinner, filling up with fuel and shopping.
“I would love to find out how much they actually invest into our city during their stay.
“I must also thank the many local sponsors who supported the weekend.”
And as for next year, yes the campout will be on again, split over the last weekend of March and the first weekend of April.
Can it get any bigger?
“Yeah I reckon we can fit in another 50 vans next year,” he laughed.
The clean up from the monster 2016 event has been done, the program for next year is already being organised and the Isons are determined to make next year’s event one to remember.