The Bendigo Showgrounds was transformed into a carnivore's paradise as it hosted Australia's biggest barbecue festival Meatstock.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
From Saturday to Sunday March 16 to 17 the ultimate meat festival took over, featuring live music, barbecue demonstrations, strongman competitions and butcher wars.
Bendigo's own budding butcher Liam Westaway, 16, competed in the Australian Food Super Butcher Wars, breaking, cutting and displaying half a lamb and a half saddle of pork in half an hour in front of an excited crowd.
Liam, who worked at Flora Hill Quality Meats, held his own against experienced butchers from across the country.
"I reckon I did alright," he said. "I was trying to learn off a heap of the older boys and what they were doing."
The young apprentice said he was keen to grow his career in the butchering industry.
"[I love] talking to all the customers and getting to know all your locals that come in on the daily," he said.
When he wasn't chopping meat, Liam was enjoying all the sights and sounds of Meatstock Bendigo, including the Pro Bull Riding.
The event featured live music from Australian artists James Johnston, Casey Barnes and Fanny Lumsden, joined by American singer Chayce Beckham.
Banking on Bendigo being Meatstock's 'new home'
Meatstock co-founder Jay Beaumont said the event was a sell-out on Saturday, March 16 with 10,000 people walking through the doors.
The Bendigo Showgrounds could become a permanent home for the festival, which was also held in Sydney and Toowoomba.
"The venue itself, we can't fault it," Mr Beaumont said.
"There's always things that we can improve and make better, and every time we do an event we learn, but for a first hit out at a venue that we've never been to before, things ran pretty smoothly."
Mr Beaumont said people who travelled to the event could camp on site, making the venue more attractive.
He said hosting the festival in regional Victoria resulted in a "much better vibe" than when it was held in Melbourne in 2023.
Organisers planned to build on this year's event and make it "bigger and better" next year.
"In terms of attendance, there's probably a few thousand less than what we had in Melbourne, which is what we expected because we're moving regional," Mr Beaumont said.
"It's a good home for us, it's a great drive out from Melbourne, it's got public transport... we're banking on being our new home for some time yet."
Jonathon Magrath
Jonathon has been living and working in Bendigo since March 2021, currently working as a general reporter. Contact him on jonathon.magrath@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
Jonathon has been living and working in Bendigo since March 2021, currently working as a general reporter. Contact him on jonathon.magrath@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
