af 1961

After competing in the apple queen competition for the first time in 1960 at Donnybrook, Mt. Barker held its first festival in 1961. It was also the first festival that the writer did not attend. With the idea of showing the other towns that they could run a festival as well or better than them, Mt. Barker put together an enthusiastic committee with W. Frost as President and J. Lyons as Secretary-Organizer.

That year's queen competition attracted ten entrants. Mt. Barker had two contestants, their Queen, Shirley Frost, sponsored by the Agriculture Society and Darriel Toone sponsored by Kendenup. Donnybrook was represented by Lorraine Cross who was sponsored by the Donnybrook Hospital Board as their Queen Annette La Rosa, Donnybrook Football Club, and Marie Torrisi, Donnybrook Parents and Friends Association. Bridgetown had three contestants, with their Queen Rosemary Billington, sponsored by the Football and Trotting Clubs, Joy Dickson, Boyup Brook Sporting Clubs and Helen Goldring, Bridgetown Swimming Pool. Manjimup had two contestants, Norma Edwards representing Deanmill as Queen and Naida DeBoni representing the Jardee community . Once again the Festival Queen would be chosen from all the girls, not just the District Queens. The festival started with the religious film, 'A Man Called Peter' at the Plantagenet Hall on Friday night. On Saturday the festivities started with a humorous procession through the main street. Led by the Western Command Band the parade consisted of floats, scooters and marching girls. At 9.30 the Reso train arrived and Mr. Frost, President of the Apple Festival Committee, welcomed the tourists. Mr. Banfield, on the behalf of the visitors remarked on how well the town had been decorated for the occasion and that it gave just the right atmosphere for the occasion. (Courtesy of Doug Henderson's book "Apple Queens & Festivals")

Mt Barker's float. Photo courtesy of Doug Henderson's book "Apple Queens & Festivals"	Darriel Toone with Ted Farlong (right). Photo courtesy of Doug Henderson's book "Apple Queens & Festivals"

Darriel Toone surrounded by children at Singapore orphanage. Photo courtesy of Doug Henderson's book "Apple Queens & Festivals"

We invite people to provide us with photos of previous apple festival queens and floats. Anyone who has photos can drop them into "Crendon Machinery", all photos will be returned.

The Donnybrook Apple Festival 1961

The next Donnybrook Apple Festival is in Easter 2010