IN 1982, Gympie-based country music trio, the Webb Brothers, picked up a Golden Guitar for Who Put The Roo In The Stew? at the Tamworth Country Music Festival - a celebration was called for!
After enlisting the help of the local Apex Club of Gympie (always ready for a party), a celebratory fundraiser was held on the Webbs' 100-year old property at Thornside.
A ball and dinner on the Saturday night was followed by a selection of acts on the Sunday. The muster's first main stage was built out of bush timber and borrowed Queensland Rail tarpaulins. The showers were jam tins with holes punched into them, drophole toilets sufficed, drinking water was trucked to the site and patrons could buy a season pass for just $20.
Announcers from 4KQ compered the show and SEQ Television produced a special program commemorating the event. All up, $9600 was spent on entertainment (which is about 2 percent of today's budget), a couple of thousand people attended and the club generated a surplus of around $12,000 for charity. The first muster was deemed a roaring success.
After three years, the event had grown significantly. The club decided that another site was essential - permanent facilities could be established to ensure the ongoing growth of the event. The site chosen was an area of land owned by the Queensland Forestry Department.
It was agreed that the site have a multiple use as a state forest park which would utilise the facilities. The 1985 muster was held at Amamoor Creek State Forest Park.
From there, the event has continued each year to grow in attendance and profile. As more and more patrons attended, muster organisers developed venues. Among the first were the infamous Crow Bar, Muster Club and the Talent Search.
In 1993, Australia was suffering the worst drought on record.
The club decided to commit all funds raised to support the national drought appeal. As a result, the Rural Aid Appeal was initiated.
The appeal annually raises funds for a major charity each year through the sale of compilation CDs and a range of specially designed merchandise. Over the years, Rural Aid beneficiaries have included Diabetes Australia, the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Leukaemia Foundation, Youth Suicide Prevention, Volunteers for Isolated Students Education, Transplant Australia and the Melanoma Foundation, and recently, isolated communities suffering the long-term effects of drought.
This year, all profits raised from the muster will assist the Starlight Foundation on its mission to brighten the lives of seriously ill and hospitalised children, and their families.
The Gympie Apex Club remains the organiser of the event.
The event has grown each year, with all profits distributed among worthy charities, both locally and nationally. An ever-growing number of community groups are also involved in the staging of the event, and for most, it is their major fundraiser for the year.
There is a real sense of community ownership in the muster, with more than 50 local community groups involved in the event's success.
Since its inception, the muster has raised more than $14 million for Australian charities Australia-wide.
