From pip spitting to melon eating contests, CS Energy was in the thick of it at the Chinchilla Melon Festival last weekend.
As a major local employer, we’re proud to support this biennial event that brings the Chinchilla community together in a celebration of watermelons.
Celebrating its 25th year, the Chinchilla Melon Festival has grown to be a major drawcard for the Western Downs region, bringing 14,000-plus visitors and injecting millions into Chinchilla’s economy.
CS Energy provided $15,000 in sponsorship to the festival through our FY2019 Community Investment Program, which supports projects, events and activities that benefit the local communities surrounding our power stations.
As part of our sponsorship, we supported the festival's Pip Spitting Competition and Laser Light Show, and Kogan Creek Power Station General Manager Phil Matha returned to defend his crown in the Celebrity Melon Eating competition.
More than 400 people entered the Pip Spitting Competition to see how far they could spit a melon seed. After two rounds of heats, 10 finalists lined up in the junior and open categories to compete for pip spitting medallions and have their name engraved on the pip spitting perpetual trophy that is displayed in the Chinchilla Visitor Centre.
Cooper Gourley, 10, spat 2.88 metres to win the junior event while in the open category Curtis Clarke won with an impressive spit of 6.45 metres.
Above: A pip spitting competitor in action.
Above: More than 400 people competed in the pip spitting event.
Above: Junior pip spitting champion Cooper Gourley.
Above: CS Energy CEO Andrew Bills with open champion Curtis Clarke.
In the melon eating competition, CS Energy’s Phil Matha put in a gallant effort against a field of eight other competitors, including Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud, Member for Warrego Ann Leahy and Western Downs Mayor Paul McVeigh. But it was QGC entrant Ronnie Fengler who devoured his watermelon first to win the event.
Above: Kogan Creek Power Station General Manager Phil Matha (centre) and other competitors in the Celebrity Melon Eating event.
And they're off! QGC's entrant Ronnie Fengler (right) went on to win the event.
Capping off the day was the Laser Light Show, which lit up the skies over Chinchilla and provided the perfect opportunity for Melonfest visitors to unwind after all of the action in the Melon Arena.