Newman’s Outback Fusion postponed over COVID-19 concerns

Newman’s Outback Fusion Festival is the latest Pilbara tourism event to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic with it postponed until September.

The festival was originally scheduled to be held from March 25-27 and is a highlight of the social calendar, incorporating the towns Harmony Day celebrations.

The news comes after a BHP miner tested positive after dining at the Newman Hotel on February 9.

Shire President Anthony Middleton said the event is one of the Shire’s premier events and the decision to postpone was difficult, but the safety of the community was paramount.

“We love the Outback Fusion Festival and everything it represents about our community. It celebrates our cultural diversity, our heritage, our future and our unique landscape,” he said.

“So to best protect everyone on our unique and diverse community, postposing until September is the best course of action. It will also ensure that we can put on the best event possible, rather than foregoing some of our planned attractions due to travel restrictions.

“In a sense, we’re returning to our roots, as the festival has historically been held in September each year. When COVID-19 reached Australia in 2020, we postponed until March 2021.”

The Outback Fusion Festival was previously cancelled in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Cr Middleton said the Shire team had been working very hard with stakeholders, stallholders and sponsors to make the festival as entertaining as possible, and thanked them all for their hard work.

“I cannot express enough how grateful I am for all the support we’ve had up to now for the festival,” he said.

The event will now take place on September 2-4.