Wednesday, 30 October 2024

 Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (09:56): It is with great disappointment that I report that the fabulous Mirboo North Italian Festa will not be proceeding next year. The festa started out celebrating the feast of St Paul, the patron saint of many of the Italian migrants who settled in and around Mirboo North, but in 2016 a small band of volunteers made it a much bigger event. That first year was a staggering success, and subsequent events have attracted as many as 20,000 people for fun, music and food. However, victims of their own success, the festa committee is now exhausted and unable to manage the huge load of running such a big event. On behalf of the community, a big thanks to Rosie Romano and all the team for their efforts in celebrating the Italian heritage of the region and putting Mirboo North on the map.