Binnycart, bubbles and beers wow crowd at Bangalow Billycart Derby

FROM a racer in a billycart made from a garbage bin high-fiving kids in the crowd as he passed to a rainbow appearing on the horizon just as the Campo Cup novelty race – renamed in memory of much-loved local Paul ‘Campo’ Campton – got underway, the 2026 Bangalow Billycart Derby delivered a day full of magical moments last Sunday.

 

Around 300 people competed in a mix of homegrown, novelty and traditional carts racing down the village’s main street, which was closed to traffic for the day and lined with hay bale barriers for safety.

 

The creativity of the community was on full display in the homegrown category, with carts fashioned from everything from wheelchairs and wheelbarrows to disability scooters.

While Binnycart was a clear crowd favourite, other popular entries included Bubble Trouble, complete with bubbles pouring from a makeshift exhaust fan, and a Nirvana-inspired cart dubbed Kart Cobain.

 

Jay Kempnich from Common People Brewing Co. also proved a hit with spectators after throwing beers from an esky mounted to his cart into the crowd.

Organiser Greg Nash, from Bangalow Lions Club, said around 5000 people attended this year’s event and, despite weeks of wet weather, rain held off except for a lunchtime shower for the second year in a row.

 

“Zane from the local highway patrol clocked the carts going down the hill and the top speed was 37km per hour,” he said.

“There was the odd bungle and the odd hay bale got displaced but I’m pleased to report there were no major incidents or accidents.”

 

Nash said the Bangalow Cricket Club billycart won “almost everything”, while there were two winners for the tag-team relay event, with one won by Magic Mike’s team and the other by Tweed Byron Police Inspector Donna Tutt and her team.

“She went in the second race with three constables from Byron Police Station and won the darn thing,” he said.

 

Nash said it was fitting that Bangalow Hotel duty manager Angus Dickson took out the Campo Cup, given Campton – who died after he was hit by a vehicle in Raftons Road last July – was a regular at the pub.

Adam Goodwin and his son Hood, who has Down syndrome, claimed victory in the parent-child race.

 

“It was cheers all round for them,” Nash said.

Nash also said the grand parade held at lunchtime was “possibly the best ever”.

 

“The Lismore pipe band lost everything, including all their instruments, in the 2022 floods and have done it pretty tough the past few years,” he said. “They came into the pub after the parade and blew the roof off the joint. They were absolutely fabulous – there were people in tears in the hotel.”

Nash gave a big shout-out to major sponsor Summerland Bank, along with gold sponsors The Cellar, GNF Real Estate, Beacon Laundry, Brad’s Butchery and Crunch Finance, without whom the event would not be possible.

 

“It was a big community effort that was up there with the best billycart derbies ever despite all the tensions and anxiety about the weather,” Nash said. “We’re absolutely delighted.”