Television presenter and special guest Craig “Macca” McGown gives two thumbs up to the 2024 Weipa Fishing Classic after its official opening on Friday night. Photo: Lyndon Keane.
He may have come to Weipa to catch fish, but it was the western Cape York township that well and truly hooked television personality Craig “Macca” McGown over the weekend.
Macca was in town as the special guest of the 2024 Weipa Fishing Classic and told Cape York Weekly it was the first time he had actually had an opportunity to explore and meet the locals.
“I have been up here a few times, but I’ve never had the time to actually spend time getting around talking to the locals, and I did today, and I’m loving the place,” he said after the event was officially opened on 7 June.
After spending two decades travelling around the country and promoting life in the outdoors and regional living, it was hard to wipe the grin off Macca’s face when asked what he thought about Weipa as a community and destination.
“It’s just the attitude, the feel of the place and the community,” he said.
“There’s a lot of towns in Australia that talk about community, but a place where people live doesn’t make a community; the people live in that place make a community, and this one’s pretty special, you know.”
Between trying to get his name on the event winner board, helping with official duties and having a yarn with countless locals, Macca had nothing but praise for the Weipa Fishing Classic and its committee, which offered up more than a quarter of a million dollars’ worth of prizes in 2024.
“I haven’t seen anything like it, and the other thing I haven’t seen is a committee quite like this one,” he said.
“There’s a lot of passion for this [event] and a love for the community in this committee, and the actual calibre of this event is mind blowing; the professionalism of the people here … is second to none.
“There’s only one expression on the faces out there today [at Andoom Oval] and that’s a smile; everyone’s here for a good time.”
