O’Keefe Challenge a win for Heathcote

THE 2023 O’Keefe Challenge transformed Barrack Reserve into a hive of activity last Saturday despite dark clouds and intermittent rain.

Challenge president Kerstin Brauns said the day had gone brilliantly.

“There were lots of happy, smiling faces,” she said. “There were a lot of people who were new to the area and were doing it for the first time.

“I think having it on a Saturday has brought people into the region to experience Heathcote over the whole weekend which is great.”

Ms Brauns said she thought numbers were slightly down on last year.

“I don’t know if that’s just because COVID is still going around,” she said. “Or it could have just been the change of day to a Saturday.

“But we had about 750 participants which is a pretty good result.”

Stallholders at the monthly Lions bush market benefited from increased numbers courtesy of the Challenge.

“People really enjoyed having the market there,” Ms Brauns said.

“A lot of family and loved ones came along to cheer on their friends and their family and it gave them something extra to do during the day.

“They could go and look at the market, the kids could go off and play in the kids’ zone and we had a lot of extra things for people to actually experience.”

The O’Keefe Challenge originated as an offshoot of the Heathcote Community Games in 2015.

“We’re hoping to bring the community games completely back on board, and link it in with the O’Keefe challenge,” Ms Brauns said.

“We’re hoping that from next year we’ll get all the schools involved.

“Maybe they can do their schools’ day on the Friday before the events and then have that link into the O’Keefe challenge on the weekend because I think that would be a wonderful thing to bring back to the community.”

Queens Meadow Caravan Park proprietor Barbara Sullivan said they had over 20 bookings that were directly related to the Challenge.

“It brings people to the caravan park, which then brings in business for cafes and other shops in town,” she said.