If whale numbers are any guide to visitor numbers then next week’s Whale Festival should be the biggest yet.

At the Magnet we have worked closely with the Whale Festival Committee to put together our full colour lift-out guide to the 14th Whale Festival.

Watch out for it in next week’s paper.

As we’ve worked I’ve been struck again by how hard volunteers work in this town to make fantastic things happen.

The same can be said of the Nethercote Residents Association who toiled for years to finally see the restoration of Nethercote Hall completed. The official opening will be held this Saturday and Mike Kelly MP and mayor Tony Allen will be doing the honours.

It’s refreshing to read the program for the Nethercote Hall re-opening. Old-fashioned, fun games such as horseshoe hookey, stilts, cricket, hopscotch and footy throw are all on offer and if that doesn’t appeal then the monster mud cake that will be available with afternoon tea might tempt you to take the family out for the afternoon.

Volunteers really are the lifeblood of country towns.