It’s here: the Carnarvon race season has officially begun!
The next few months are set to be a fabulous display of fashion, frivolity, and - of course - horse races, all culminating in the crowning event, September’s Carnarvon Cup. To kick the season off in style, the Carnarvon Race Club is hosting the much-anticipated Ladies Day luncheon on 22nd May. Promised to be a day of indulgent fun, the luncheon is just one of the many stops on the travelling ‘Fashion’s on the Field’ competition, and the perfect excuse to get a group of girlfriends together.
In fact, why not make a long weekend of it and really get to know the town of Carnarvon while you’re at it?
Ladies, your ‘ladies day long weekender’ begins right here:
Friday
Whether you’re coming to Carnarvon by car or by plane, your ETA should be no later than midday on Friday; after all, you want to make the most of your time in the town. On arrival, make sussing out and settling into your stay your first priority.
There are plenty of great accommodation options for you and your girlfriends within the Carnarvon town centre, whether it is a hotel room or a two-bedroom fully self-contained apartment, there is something for every budget.
Saturday’s schedule is jam-packed, so end your first night in town with a casual meal and tipple at a laid back local venue. Norwesta Cafe is serving up some of Carnarvon’s finest pizza - think Shark Bay seafood or spicy chorizo on a chewy, bubbly base. Even better, they’ll let you BYO your favourite bottle of wine as an accompaniment. If you want your meal with a side of ocean views, the beer garden at the Carnarvon Hotel is your go-to. Or, get right into that country pub vibe with a hearty dinner at the Gascoyne or Port Hotel.
Saturday
Ease into the morning with a leisurely stroll through the local growers’ markets at the Carnarvon Civic Centre. There’s more than just great fresh produce for you to get your hands on, with plenty of local artisans selling their wares here too. Grab yourself a coffee from the coffee stand, followed by a delectable goat pie from Mundillya Homestead for breakfast. Then, get to browsing some handmade leather goods, cute jewellery, and delicious preserves.
Before heading back to base to get prepped for Ladies Day, allow yourself some time to take in the beautiful heritage buildings of the main street. Pop your head into Norwest Surf Store and Canarvon Newsagents to pick up a few little finishing accessories, and drop by the bakery for some pre-race-day fuel in the form of their legendary vanilla slice.
The great Ladies Day luncheon begins at 12.00pm. Sit down to a decadent 7-course meal by Taste of Italy by Valeria, indulge in a few glasses of bubbly with your girlfriends, and enjoy a fabulous ‘Fashions on the Field’ runway. Anyone can enter so, if you’re feeling up for it, throw your name in the hat and strut that runway. Tickets to the event are $55.00 per person and can be purchased at the door should you miss out on tickets prior, though booking ahead is recommended. They’ll even throw in two bottles of champagne if you purchase a table of eight. If you feel like having a punt while you’re there, the races kick off at 12.30pm.
Sunday
The post-ladies day wind-down begins with an easy morning walk around the fascine, Carnarvon’s central waterway. After your gentle morning exercise, head to Sunsets Cafe at the One Mile Jetty for a tapas lunch. Sit in the sunshine, sip on some bubbles, and admire the remains of the historic structure and surrounding scrubland.
There’s just one afternoon left in town and a few more Carnarvon icons to be ticked off.
Head out of town to Morels, home of sub-tropical fruits and chocolate-covered frozen fruit pops. In the freezer, they’ve got everything from the classic frozen choc-banana combo to the more left-of-field black sapote or soursop pops. Through and through mango fans should follow the Fruit Loop Trail further around Bumbaks for one of their thick and silky mango smoothies. Come for the delicious drinks, and leave with an armful of their fruit leather and preserves.
With a full belly, it’s time to move on to the Carnarvon Space Museum; but, before you head out there, don’t forget to stop by the Instafamous cactus garden, leave a gold coin donation, and jump in for a snap. At the Space Museum, you can explore Carnarvon’s fascinating (and little known) role in the manned space program through interactive exhibits short documentaries at the space theatre.
LADIES DAY EVENT INFORMATION:
Find out more about Ladies Day click here or visit the Carnarvon Race Club Facebook page.
If you miss out on tickets for the Luncheon, don't stress, you are still welcome to attend the event. Admission into the Carnarvon Race Club is $25 per adult.
Find out more about entry and membership here.
