Goondiwindi puts best foot forward for Hell of the West

Things are heating up in Goondiwindi ahead of the infamous Hell of the West this Sunday, with Goondiwindi Regional Council’s parks and gardens crew going above and beyond to ensure the town puts its best foot forward for the hundreds of visitors expected for the Festival of Hell weekend.

The parks and gardens team have been particularly focused on the presentation of the Town Park, where 380 individual athletes and 70 team entries will hope to cross the finish line on Sunday morning. They have also been busily preparing the Goondiwindi Botanic Gardens, where this year’s swim leg will take place due to upstream dam releases in the Macintyre River system.

Mayor of the Goondiwindi Region the Honourable Cr Lawrence Springborg AM said Council and the community were proud to present a neat, tidy and welcoming town to the hundreds of  out-of-town visitors who come to Goondiwindi from near and far for the event.

“The Hell of the West (HOTW) is such a tremendous event for our region and a focal part of Australia’s triathlon calendar, drawing competitors with their support crews and families from right across the nation,” the Mayor said. “We want to ensure they all leave with only the very best impression of our town, and knowing that the Goondiwindi Region really does represent Regional Australia at its Best,” he said.

“There’s no doubt what a fantastic boost this is to local tourism, and an opportunity to showcase the region to potential employees and investors.

“With one of the largest outdoor crews (per capita) of any council in Queensland, our Council strives to have our region’s communities looking well-presented all year round. But frequently they really do go above and beyond to ensure it’s looking its absolute best for these big-ticket tourism events - whether it’s the upcoming Talwood Pink Ladies or Texas Country Music Festival. Our crews carefully schedule their work around those programs to ensure the region is looking its best for the big day.”

Council is extremely proud to be a long-term supporter of the HOTW and Festival of Hell weekend through its Tourism and Events Grant. Council’s parks and gardens teams have also been busily making sure the Goondiwindi CBD is ready to welcome visitors to local businesses, with additional street-sweeping and tidying well underway before the weekend, as well as extra mowing and tending to the CBD garden beds.

Festival of Hell Race Director Tim Richards said the Goondiwindi Region itself was part and parcel of the HOTW’s great reputation.

“The support we get from Council and the community is a major part of what makes the event so fantastic,” Mr Richards said. “Especially as a tri weekend away from the coast, we need athletes to know that they can come out to Goondiwindi not only for a hell of a race, but for a top weekend in a friendly town with all the services you need, easy accommodation and not to mention the beautiful backdrop of the Macintyre River,” he said.

“It’s all about professionalism and ensuring a really well-run event, so all the extra effort is greatly appreciated,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of local entries in this year which is just great to see, and we’re well on track to a great weekend ahead.”

The fun kicks off at the GTH+ Super Saturday with events for the whole family, followed by the Barambah Organics Hell of the West triathlon on Sunday. The Goondiwindi Town Park will be the heart of the action - don’t miss out on all the fabulous food, drinks and entertainment available in the park while the winners cross the finish line.