It has been ten years since the arrival of the world famous Cowaramup Cows to the main street of the town, and to celebrate the Cowaramup French Bakery and Patisserie, led by talented baker Chef Richard, has begun work on an enormous birthday cake which will be unveiled at the DejaMoo Festival this weekend.
While the name Cowaramup is derived from the Noongar word 'Cowara', after the region's purple crowned lorikeet, the affectionately named 'Cowtown' also has a recent history steeped in dairy and beef farming.
Cowaramup is still home to numerous dairy farms with a significant proportion of the State's mild produced in the region.
The arrival of the town's 42-strong Friesian herd began with the 2010 International Cow Parade, held across more than 50 cities around the world.
As part of the event, Ron Roozen's 'Free As A Cow', better known as 'Roast on a Post' or 'Rump on a Stump', has taken pride of place overlooking the town from Pioneer Park since the initial event.
A couple of years later, beloved local residents Loraine Teasdale and Don Miller rallied the Lions Club and a raft of local businesses to celebrate the town's dairy heritage with a 'herd' of cows installed along the main street.
Installed and painted by an army of volunteers, the cows made their official arrival in July 2012, coinciding with the winter school holidays and culminating in the very first DejaMoo Fair.
Co-organiser Jill Turton said the gathering was testament to the dedication of residents and business owners who worked to keep the event thriving.
"It's just amazing to see everyone out celebrating this part of the world and all the wonderful people we have in our community who work hard to make this festival happen every year."
In 2014, hundreds of costumes were delivered ahead of a successful attempt to break a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people dressed as cows.
A whopping 1,352 people donned animal print outfits to beat the existing record of 470 people held by the town of Fairfax in Virginia, USA.
As part of the 10th anniversary celebrations, the Bakery's giant birthday cake will be unveiled and enjoyed by attendees, while a big lineup of family friendly entertainment, games, activities will join market stalls, food trucks and more.
DejaMoo runs 9am to 1pm on Saturday July 9 at the Cowaramup Town Hall. Main celebrations - including the chance to join in a massive group 'cow' photo - will run from 11am to 12pm.
For more info visit cowaramup.com.au
Nicky Lefebvre
I am a journalist, photographer and content creator based in the beautiful Margaret River wine region, covering all aspects of our community including local news, sport, entertainment and events, as well as providing a platform for our readers to share their voices direct from regional Australia.
I am a journalist, photographer and content creator based in the beautiful Margaret River wine region, covering all aspects of our community including local news, sport, entertainment and events, as well as providing a platform for our readers to share their voices direct from regional Australia.
