The play on words for Cameron Park on the Bell River is Wellington’s newest festival and will be held on the eve of the town’s seventh annual WomDomNom four-day paddle down the Macquarie River from Wellington to Dubbo and onto Narromine.  

The festival will showcase a variety of local produce, food and entertainment on the evening of November 22. It will see one talented chef crowned “World Champion”, as according to organiser, Andrew Mackay, this is the first festival of its kind in the world.

“Everyone loves a good cob loaf, but I am sure there are some hidden recipes out there that could take cob loaves to a whole new level,” Andrew said.

“We are hoping to draw competitors from far and wide and hope to get entries from Geurie and Mumbil.

“Rumour has it that Doug Swain from Orange may be entering a recipe!”

The evening will be held between 5pm and 8pm, similar to night markets that are held in the area. There will be a “Taste of  Wellington” food stall, and plenty of cob loaves to try.

Alistaire Thompson of Wellington Touch will be organising the inaugural Cob Loaf Cup, a touch football competition on Wednesday afternoon that will lead into the evening festival.

“The festival will be great fun – there will be 200 paddlers in Wellington to participate in the WomDomNom,” Andrew said.

“It would be great to have locals who don’t paddle at this stage to meet them and potentially get into paddling going forward, and share a cob loaf on the banks of the Bell River at Cameron Park.”

Judging will be conducted under the “International Cob Loaf Judging Laws”, which are currently being drafted.