|
| Photo Credit - Mallee Root Festival Facebook |
There are plenty of festivals around our region, but there probably are not too many where throwing a lump of timber is one of the main attractions.
The Mallee Root Festival will return to the banks of Ouyen Lake on Saturday, 19 September 2026, bringing together live music, food, market stalls, entertainment for the kids and, of course, the famous Mallee Root Toss.
It is one of those events that could only really happen in the Mallee.
The festival celebrates the character of Ouyen and the wider region, with the tough old mallee root serving as a pretty good symbol for the people who live here. Hardy, difficult to shift and generally able to survive whatever the weather or the world decides to throw at them.
The Root Toss remains the part of the festival that attracts plenty of attention. Competitors get the chance to test their strength by throwing an iconic mallee stump, with different categories allowing both the younger generation and the more experienced root throwers to get involved.
Even for those who have no desire to pick up a stump, there will still be plenty happening around the lake. The festival traditionally features live music, food, market stalls and plenty of family entertainment, making it an easy afternoon and evening out for visitors of all ages.
Ouyen Lake is also a great setting for the event.
The lake itself is one of the Mallee’s best community success stories. What was once a disused dam was transformed into a recreational lake after years of work, fundraising and an enormous amount of labour and support donated by local volunteers and businesses.
Today it is used for walking, fishing, swimming, water sports, camping and community events, with the Mallee Root Festival becoming one of the biggest dates on its calendar.
The festival is organised by the Ouyen Festivals Committee, a group of locals working to keep community events alive at a time when many smaller rural festivals are finding it harder to continue.
Volunteers remain an important part of the event, helping with everything from setting up and running activities to packing everything away once the final root has been thrown.
For anyone coming down from Mildura, Ouyen is around 100 kilometres south and makes for an easy day trip. Camping at Ouyen Lake can also give visitors the option of staying overnight rather than heading straight home after the entertainment finishes.
It is also a good excuse to spend a bit more time exploring Ouyen, supporting the local shops and discovering another part of the Mallee that can sometimes be driven through rather than properly visited.
The Mallee Root Festival will be held at Ouyen Lake on Saturday, 19 September 2026. Entertainment lineup, ticketing, camping information and other event details should be checked through the official Mallee Root Festival website and Facebook page before travelling.
Whether you are heading along for the music, the food, the family entertainment or just to see who can claim the title of the Mallee’s biggest tosser, the Mallee Root Festival is well worth putting on the calendar.
It is local, different and just the right amount of ridiculous.
Pretty much everything a good Mallee festival should be.
Festival date: Saturday, 19 September 2026
Festival information: Visit the Mallee Root Festival website
Festival updates: Follow the Mallee Root Festival on Facebook