It must have been just as a leading organiser describes it – “unbelievable”. We’re talking about the Sunset Extravaganza Charity Dinner that’s a renowned part of the Outback Festival Winton which rolls around every two years.

And this year, the sunset-and-starlight dinner, in Bladensburg National Park roughly 14km from Winton, was in part dedicated to our Heart of Australia program.

A special auction of 11 select items realised $20,300 – earmarked by the Festival Committee as a “Thank You Donation” to Heart of Australia.

When we asked key festival dinner organiser and Winton-area local, Robyn Stephens (OAM), how the September 21 event worked, her reply was ‘unbelievable”.

And why not? Put together internationally-celebrated Australian artiste and didgeridoo master, William Barton, the Queensland Light Horse Regiment re-enacting an iconic WW1 action with more than 100 horses, the 1RAR military band and more than 300 dinner guests – as well as the actual Melbourne Cup on show – and you’ve got a most remarkable event.

Mrs Stephens told us that Heart of Australia was named this year’s Sunset Dinner auction beneficiary because – “the people of this district are just so grateful for the Heart of Australia truck turning up on a regular basis … and we want it to continue”.