Quenching the Ox Braai Thirst

‘There’s no thirst like Bathurst.’ A chant you’ll be familiar with if you’ve ever been to the Eastern Cape village’s annual Ox Braai. Indeed, a thirst in this part of the interior of the Sunshine Coast is always in need of quenching!

Held at the Bathurst showgrounds, this event (or phenomenon, as some like to call it) sees around 8 000 party lovers park their cars on the grounds and mission around them for one night of crazy debauchery between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Although it attracts mostly a student crowd, people of all ages can be seen enjoying the now legendary festivities. The older party people have just learned that a decent bed (such as those at Green Fountain Farm Resort) is much more comfortable than a car seat after a night of crazy antics. Besides, that generation is the one that began the fad of sleeping around Ox Braai campfires back in the early 80s when the tradition first started, so they’ve had their time of crashing under the stars.

Back then, it started with 1 000 partygoers on the Kleinemonde beach. Now it’s expanded into a massive, raucous affair where nearly 30 spit braais provide two tons of meat to the hungry masses looking to line their stomachs – a wise plan to action before quenching that insatiable thirst with the area’s infamous pineapple beer. Bands and DJs keep the crowds dancing till the wee hours of the morning (a very long dance-a-thon for those who start when the gates open at 10am). But that’s only one side to this outdoor rage. There’s also the option of making your own fire at which to chill, or gallivanting about, water bottle in hand (with something stronger than water in it, of course!), making new friends and dragging them along to find even newer friends to jol with. It’s the kind of night where the stars shine bright enough for you to see where you’re going, but are still dim enough to cover up any unsavoury party tricks.

29 December 2011 will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of this event. No glass bottles will be allowed into the showgrounds (safer for car tyres and people!) and police roadblocks will be stationed around the area so as to dissuade revellers from drinking and driving. Yet another great excuse to keep the Ox Braai party going until sunrise.

Trust us, you won’t want to drive back home the day after Ox Braai, so why not book yourself in at Green Fountain Farm Resort for a few days afterwards to recuperate? Visit our website for things to do during your stay.