MOREE’S well-known hospitality and penchant for welcoming strangers shone through during the week when a group of more than 20 Lions Club members from across the eastern seaboard stopped over for a couple of nights en route to Traralgon in Victoria.

The group, travelling in campervans and caravans, will join more than 1000 Lions at the 73rd annual Australian Lions Club Convention from May 2-5.

Tour director Jan Napier, from Wagga Wagga, said Julie Rushby and staff at Tourism Moree put out the welcome mat on Tuesday when the group arrived.

“When I rang Tourism in Moree (before the tour started), the girls sent me a great information pack and put on a tasting table for us when we got here,” Jan said.

The group was surprised when locally-sourced pecans, olives, jams & pickles and other specialty regional produce was laid out.

“We thought what can Moree put on? How do you eat cotton and how do you eat wheat,” Jan laughed.

“Moree has been fantastic. The girls at Tourism were really lovely, and when Julie (Rushby) found out we were Lions members, she rang (Moree Lion) Beth Hearn, who organised a morning tea for us.

“The whole visit has been fantastic,” she said.

More than 20 Lions Club members from across eastern Australia stayed at Moree on their way through to Traralgon in Victoria for the 73rd Australian Lions Club Convention from May 2-5.

The road-trip started in Mackay, Queensland, nearly 1000km north of Brisbane. Lions link up as the tour moves south.

“We’ve been doing these trips to the national convention for more than 20 years, and we’re only a small group this year,” Jan said.

“The Mackay members picked up people from Rockhampton and came down to New South Wales through Inverell and collected more people from there.

“Tom Cattell and Inverell Lions Club put on a barbecue dinner for us on Sunday and we had a lovely time.

“Some people from Victoria have actually come up and met us in Moree and we’ll all travel back together,” she said.

More vans will join the group as the Victorian border gets closer, with Lions from clubs at Barham Koondrook, Mount Panorama, Glen Innes, Inverell, Gungahlin and Wagga Wagga signing on.

“When we get to Traralgon, there will be 27 vans but 47 in the park we’re staying at because a lot of Victorians will stay for holidays at places like Lakes Entrance,” Jan said.

The Australia-wide road-trips to the national convention have been an annual event for many years.

“The convention is in a different location every year. Last year was Darwin and next year it’s at Adelaide. When we went to Perth (in 2022) we had 47 vans,” Jan said.

Jan’s job is to book caravan parks and reserve sites, and co-ordinate the trip.

“This information goes out to all the ‘vanners. We keep everyone informed as we mosey down,” she smiled.

Moree Lions Club members Beth Hearn, Betty Courts and Tamara Gaunson hosted the group for brunch at Café 61 on Wednesday.

“Julie from Tourism contacted me and we organised a get-together at Café 61 to break up the trip,” Beth said.

“Moree Lions wanted to make everyone welcome and show them what our town has got to offer,” she smiled.

Words and Image: Bill Poulos