Community & Business
4 March, 2025
Full steam ahead for National Rally as Council endorses sponsorship
Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) has endorsed a sponsorship request from Steaming Under the Southern Cross Inc. (SUSCI) for the 19th National Historical Machinery Association (NHMA) National Rally featuring the Steaming Under the Southern Cross event in late August at Jondaryan.
The NHMA National Rally, to be held from Saturday 23 August to Monday 25 August, is a celebration of historical steam machinery and is recognised as the largest event of its type in Australia, and potentially in the Southern Hemisphere.
The second part of the machinery celebration, is the Steaming Under the Southern Cross event which will be held for six days, starting on Tuesday 26 August and finishing on Sunday 31 August.
The sponsorship agreement includes TRC providing a financial contribution of $40,000 to SUSCI to put towards the transportation costs of moving the heritage steam equipment to and from the event, which is likely to cost more than $100,000.
The steam engines will arrive in Oakey on Wednesday August 20th, and they will then be transported on a two day ‘road run’ from Oakey to Jondaryan, via the old township of Acland, and Brymaroo.
The recently endorsed sponsorship also includes a profit-share agreement which states Council’s financial contribution of $40,000 will be returned in the 2025/2026 financial year if the event generates a surplus.
A sticking point over whether the sponsorship will be accepted is where any surplus funds will be reinvested, with Council currently intending to direct these funds towards the volunteer group Friends of Jondaryan Woolshed Inc. to support future restoration works at the historic site.
Steaming Under the Southern Cross says it will be looking to make sure money first goes back towards the hosting clubs Steaming on the Downs Inc. (SOTD), Toowoomba and District Old Machinery Society (TADOMS), and the Queensland Steam and Vintage Machinery Society (QSVMS)
Steaming Under the Southern Cross President Nick Geraghty said the announcement was a positive move as preparations for the event escalate, but there were talks still to be had.
“We’ll be looking at the terms and conditions of sponsorship, particularly whether there is a profit of the event...monies could be repaid to the Friends of the Jondaryan Woolshed,” he said.
“We’ve got to balance up whether the three host clubs get the benefits...as they’re the ones doing all the hard work for this event.
“If accepted, it will make a very significant difference to the quality of the event by securing the transport of the core exhibits.”
Based on event impact summary modelling by Council, the national event is estimated to inject $1.54 million into the local economy, with accommodation and food businesses the most likely to profit from the thousands of machinery enthusiasts, exhibitors and families expected to stay in Jondaryan and surrounding areas.
Early bird general admission ticket sales have shown strong trends in eventgoers purchasing multi day passes and as a result more than a thousand people are expected to camp on site each night and motel accommodation in Oakey has already been booked out.
“Some of the first tickets we sold were from United Kingdom and New Zealand and we’ve had a surprising amount of interest from Western Australia,” Mr Geraghty said.
Portfolio and spokes-person for Planning and Development Cr Edwina Farquhar said although council was contributing a fair sum of money towards the event, the potential financial reward for the local economy was 38 times the original investment.
Cr Farquhar said the Steaming Under the Southern Cross event could not come at a better time of year.
“This two-part event will be held right before the Carnival of Flowers and will extend our usual busy tourism period from four weeks to at least six weeks, which is a huge win for our Region,” said Cr Farquhar.
This year’s celebration of the NHMA National Rally will be the third time it has been hosted in Queensland.
