At the coal festival

Yesterday, I drove to Dolamore Park near Gore, to meet the attendees at this years Coal Festival. It was raining when I arrived and I couldn't help but feel sympathy for those who had camped there overnight. The park is very attractive, but some of the tents looked a little forlorn. The campers, however, were in good spirits. The ever-popular Gareth Hughes came out of the meeting tent to greet us, as did Jeanette Fitzsimons. They'd been listening to the Australian farmer describing the movement in his part of the country that had excluded the fracking industry through forming a 'close the gate' movement. Rob, for that's his name, will be speaking at a public meeting at the James Cumming Centre at Gore, at which I'm master of ceremonies, today, as will a number of other very well versed luminaries. I'm heading off there now, and as I'm walking :-) I'd better get going!