Gus van Hart, The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper

The Murrabit rodeo is fast becoming one of the district’s standout community events, with organisers saying this year’s crowd and support pushed the annual show to a new level.

Rodeo organiser Stephanie Toohey said the response had exceeded expectations, with people still making the trip despite rising fuel costs and broader cost-of-living pressures.

“This year was absolutely incredible,” Ms Toohey said.

“We weren’t sure how it was going to go with everything that’s happening in the world at the moment, and obviously with fuel prices and stuff, but we were absolutely blown away by all the support.

“Everyone seemed to make it work, whether people hired minibuses or carpooled. Everyone just sort of banded together.”

For Murrabit, that support meant more than a strong turnout at the arena.

The rodeo has become a major fundraiser and community event that flows into local clubs, service groups, sponsors and businesses across the wider district, with organisers saying the benefits stretched well beyond the football and netball club.

Ms Toohey said one of the biggest positives was seeing the community rally behind something upbeat.

“It didn’t feel like everything else that’s going on in the world at the moment mattered,” she said.

“It was just all about the rodeo on the night, and the vibe was awesome. Everyone had an absolute blast.”

A major boost for this year’s event was securing the Ride Tough series final, which Ms Toohey said helped raise the rodeo’s profile even further.

She said organisers had already been told Murrabit would host the final again next year, with the date locked in for March 20, the weekend before Easter.

Ms Toohey said the rodeo’s success was shared across a wide network of local groups and businesses.

“It’s great for our club, and it’s not just about the football club receiving the funds,” she said.

“It goes to the football club, the netball club and everyone that sponsors. We actually give a massive donation to those businesses.

“So you’ve got the Murrabit Golf Club, the Murrabit Primary School, the Lions Club, Rotary, you name it. There are so many different businesses involved that all get a piece of the puzzle.”

Visitors from surrounding towns also gave the wider district a lift, with spending flowing into supermarkets, bottle shops, food outlets and accommodation providers. Ms Toohey said free camping at the rodeo had also helped keep the weekend affordable for families.

She said the event would not have happened without the volunteers behind it, with a committee of about 15 people helping shoulder the workload in the lead-up and on the day.

“Without these guys, it just wouldn’t happen,” Ms Toohey said.

“Everyone brings their own little niche to what they do and how they get involved.”

For Ms Toohey and her husband Dave, the rodeo started as a much smaller idea on their farm before outgrowing it and moving to the Murrabit Football Club.

What began as plans for a campdraft eventually turned into a full rodeo, built around the couple’s love of cattle, bulls and the sport itself.

Now, with another successful event in the books and planning already under way for next year, Ms Toohey said the goal remained giving the district something worth getting behind.

“It’s nice to feel that we’ve put something on the map that’s now an annual event for everyone to look forward to with families,” she said.

This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 2 April 2026.