The Bangtail muster is an annual event, in the form of a parade, hosted in
Alice Springs (Mparntwe) each May to coincide with the
May Day
May Day is a European festival of ancient origins marking the beginning of summer, usually celebrated on 1 May, around halfway between the Northern Hemisphere's March equinox, spring equinox and midsummer June solstice, solstice. Festivities ma ...
public holiday as this traditionally marks the beginning of the mustering season in Central Australia. The event is run by the Rotary Club of Alice Springs and it runs from the
Todd Mall
The Todd Mall is a mostly pedestrian mall in Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia which serves as its "main street" and is one of the primary locations for shopping and leisure in the town. It contains many of the town's restau ...
to ANZAC Oval.
It was first held in 1959 and it is designed to celebrate the history of the town. The event is named in honour of the "bangtail" in which, after cattle were mustered the hairy end of the tail would be cut; these tails were then counted so they could work out how many cattle had been mustered.
Gallery
File:Govers 025.tif, The first Bangtail Muster in 1959
File:Govers 036.tif, The first Bangtail Muster in 1959
File:Bangtail Muster float, Todd Street.tif, Crowds watching the Bangtail Muster on Todd Street, 1960
File:Hugh Hillam 026.tif, A group from Yuendumu marching, 1961
File:Hugh Hillam 030.tif, A second group from Yuendumu marching, 1961
File:Govers 183.tif, Float with multiple signs at the Bangtail Muster, 1963
File:Govers 177.tif, 'Housewives headaches' at the Bangtail Muster, 1963
File:Whittaker 089 J.jpg, 'Populate or perish' at the Bangtail Muster, 1963
File:Whittaker 090 J.jpg, 'Dam the Todd' odd Riverat the Bangtail Muster 1963
File:Govers 180.tif, Dressed up entries in the Bangtail Muster, 1963
File:Govers 176.tif, 'The court of llegibleCole, Bangtail Muster, 1963
File:Hugh Hillam 011.tif, A protest float tin the Bangtail Muster, date unknown
File:Hugh Hillam 020.tif, An Apex Club foat celebrating singing and drinking, date unknown
File:Hugh Hillam 022.tif, Rag Harris' float with swimming pool, date unknown
See also
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Henley-on-Todd Regatta
The Henley-on-Todd Regatta is a "boat" race held annually in the typically dry sandy bed of the Todd River in Alice Springs, Australia.
It began – and continues – cautiously as a joke at the expense of the original British colonisers and th ...
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List of festivals in Australia
List of festivals in Australia, including any established festival or carnival in Australia.
Australian Capital Territory
New South Wales
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australi ...
References
{{reflist
Festivals in the Northern Territory
1959 establishments in Australia
Alice Springs