Power boats could be back | Northern Rivers News | Local News in Northern Rivers

4th February 2010

THE power boats could be back on the Richmond River as part of Ballina Shire’s annual festival.

After last week’s council decision to call for expressions of interest from community groups to co-ordinate the annual Rivafest event, Mike Dean sees an opportunity to bring back the boats, and is keen to get a committee together to run the event.

And Ballina Tourism secretary Dave Heggie doesn’t have a problem with the boats on the river, with his group also keen to put in an expression of interest for the annual festival.

Council made the decision to call for another group to run the event after costs last year blew out by $36,500 of the $47,000 council budgeted for.

The total cost of the two-day event was $304,000, with $177,000 coming from in-kind contirubtions.

Other funding came from sponsorship, ticket sales, supplier fees and grants, and the event attracted about 10,000 people.

Rivafest has run at a loss for the past four years.

For Mr Dean, it is a return to the past.

He is the former president of Ballina Alive, which ran the Ballina Alive event, featuring power boat racing, for five years from 2002 as a fundraiser for the Combined Service Clubs of Ballina’s youth projects.

Problems with insurance saw Ballina Shire Council come on board in 2004 for the first Rivafest, and the combined land- and water-based festival was born.

In 2007, Ballina Alive and council parted ways ‘amicably’ and Ballina Alive tried to run a purely water-based event, while Rivafest went ahead without the power boats.

A major sponsor pulled out of the planned Ballina Alive Aquatic Spectacular and it wasn’t held that year, but Ballina Alive went to the sailing club and was part of a regatta the following year.

However, Ballina Alive formally disbanded after that.

Mr Dean said council’s decision to hand over Rivafest to a community group was an opportunity for the boats to come back.

And that, he said, would bring people to the event from outside the local area, and also provide opportunities for international television coverage.

“The success of Rivafest is undoubted,” he said.

“And an event like Rivafest with boats – if it goes back to that – Ballina will have broader appeal outside this district.

“There’s no question that Ballina offers the most unique waterway on the eastern seaboard to put on a major water event and a combined land event.”

He said a recent amalgamation of two Formula One power boat racing fraternities also meant Ballina would be assured of getting the top power boats and their drivers.

“One of biggest races is Bundaberg, and it has put Bundaberg on the map worldwide,” Mr Dean said.
“And that’s what we need here.”

He said it would cost about $50,000 to bring the Formula One racers to Ballina.

Mr Heggie said Ballina Tourism wouldn’t have a problem in working with Mr Dean for an event with power boats on the river.

He said Ballina Tourism was keen to put a submission into council to run a land-based wine and food event which showcased local produce, even mentioning that it could be a Prawn Festival.

He said while the Big Prawn is gone, there is still interest in the Prawn outside the shire.

“Rivafest is great because it’s a festival that attracts locals to the river,” he said.

“But what we want to do is to have an event that will attract locals and to bring in tourists.”

Mr Heggie said he would like to see ‘anything’ that would boost Ballina’s profile considering the Ballina bypass is scheduled for completion in two years.

He said council should still be involved in the event.

Council will consider the expressions of interest and make a decision in April.

The council has agreed to chip with a negotiated amount of cash for another group to run the event.

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