The bush hall rumoured to have been lost in the September bushfires is making its ongoing presence felt loudly and proudly, generating a cash donation to its local Rural Fire Service brigade in the process.
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The social gatherings at Steinbrook Hall are legendary and New Year's Eve was no different, with Casino-based Darryl Maher and his band rocking the timber building with a repertoire that ran the gamut from country to rock to pop and back again.
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Steinbrook Progress Association vice president Rod Taylor said it was a great night with organisers finally making it to bed around 2.30am before coming back to cook a recovery breakfast.
The entertainer was also instrumental in hosting a fundraiser on New Year's Day with the firies as the beneficiaries, given all the fine work they've done fighting bushfires over the past year not only in their own patch but elsewhere as well.
The fundraiser attracted six or seven walk-up artists, Mr Taylor said, including the popular Nanette Watt accompanying herself on guitar and Robyn Dight playing the piano accordion.
The day raised around $1500 with several donated auction items proving popular, including a coin toss which involved throwing a gold coin in the direction of a bottle of rum. Whoever got the closest took home the bottle, and Laurie Stenzel had his eye in.
Another local Polly Rubin donated six sets of her Rosie knows books, which tackle issues facing primary school-aged kids from a friendly dog's perspective.
Mr Taylor's wife Colleen managed to part Mr Maher from a battered hat that once belonged to a rough-rider and still bears the scars, and she won it with a $200 bid.
"No way no-one else was going to get it," Mr Taylor said.
Once costs had been deducted, Mr Taylor handed over a cheque for $1000 to Bruce Petrie, Steinbrook RFS secretary/treasurer. Mr Petrie said the brigade is on the waiting list for another fire truck and the donation will be handy to accessorise the vehicle when it does arrive. After losing a truck in the September fires (in the incident where volunteer firefighter Neville Smith was injured), it's hoped the wait won't be too long.
Darryl Maher has already been re-booked for next New Year's Eve, so a Steinbrook Hall NYE might be one to mark on the calendar now.
