Bermagui Country Club was full of smiles, laughter and excitement on Tuesday, March 12, as Country Women's Association (CWA) members from Batemans Bay to Eden gathered to learn who would go through to the state competition at Coffs Harbour on May 6.

Each year members of the Far South Coast group of the CWA of NSW bring their winning entries from the branch competition to Bermagui to be examined by visiting CWA-accredited judges.

There are three competitions - The Land cookery competition that is sponsored by The Land newspaper and conducted by the CWA, the handicraft competition that the state handicraft committee runs and an Agriculture and Environment one.

Ruth Shanks, chair of the state handicraft committee, was impressed by the standard of the handicrafts she was invited to judge.

She said that in recent years Narooma branch has done very well at the state level.

Narooma member Marion Cullen won the top handicraft prize which will be entered in the state competition.

Narooma branch also won the prize for having the most members' pieces qualifying to go forward.

Heather Dennison of Batemans Bay branch won the Agriculture and Environment competition with her tote bag made from discarded clothes.

Waste service managers from Bega Valley and Eurobodalla Shire Councils chose it because fabric or garment waste is the largest item going to landfill and the bag was practical.

There was an unorthodox result for what is traditionally a cake competition.

The champion exhibit was Remembrance biscuits made by Debbie Fisher of Cobargo.

Of the 12 adult sections, Bega branch won four first prizes, Cobargo and Bodalla won two apiece, while Bermagui, Pambula/Merimbula, Narooma and the virtual branch each came away with a winning entry.

Bega's Annelyce and Merideth Cole won the two junior sections with their decorated cupcakes and simple tea cake.

The cookery judges were Ellice Shrader from Cessnock and Christine Tarlinton from Queanbeyan.

Both are state Land Cookery judges, as well as show society judges.

Ms Shrader, who chairs the state cookery committee, said that the cookery competition results in CWA members across NSW making 5000 cakes.

"We get 500 at the state level and they all get judged so the competition is tough," Ms Shrader said, warning the winners.

"If you got first here today don't think you are home and hosed.

"When you are up against 28 at the state competition, presentation is very important so ice better and line those tins better."