While droving still occurs today, the Australian drover once moved livestock on horseback overland for thousands of kilometres through large uncharted areas of the Australian landscape in search of feed and water for their animals.
It’s a highly regarded aspect of Australian’s agricultural history for which many songs, poems and yarns have been written.
The drover’s cook was a member of the droving crew who managed the food and cooking supplies and cooked for the drover’s crew on open fires every day of the drive.
The Drovers Camp Oven Cook-Off is being held to embody the spirit of those drover’s cooks.
We invite up to 10 participants to compete against each other in a fun, one-day event.
There’ll be 3 separate cook-offs with sponsored prizes for each cook-off and a prize for the overall winner.
An entry fee of $25 per entrant is payable upon registration via Trybooking with a 100% payback as prize money to the overall winner. There are only 10 entries available at this point in time but maybe subject to change.
Entrants under the age of 17 years must have an adult helper who can supervise the cooking.
A compulsory briefing with officials will be held at the Camp Oven Cooking Area at 7am on Saturday 12th April.
There will be 3 categories/cook-off’s and points will be accumulated over each category. Sponsored prizes to be awarded to each winner of each category by achieving the best score in that category.
The overall winner will be decided by adding each entrants score for each category and the entrant with the highest score being awarded the overall winner.
Category 1 (up to 100 points) Bushman’s Billy Tea and Scones, judged at 10am
Category 2 (up to 100 points) Camp Oven Pizza, judged at 12pm
Category 3 (up to 100 points) Camp Oven Stew, judged at 3pm
Overall Winner – entrant with highest overall score.
In any case of a score tie, judges will come to a decision amongst themselves to decide a winner by giving one of the tied entrants an extra point.
Judging and points allocation will be based on taste, presentation, technique and overall hygiene/cleanliness. Bonus points will be awarded to those that embrace the spirit of the drover’s cook.
Judges decisions will be final and cash along with sponsor prizes may be subject to change and will be awarded for each category and overall winner at the end of the event.
No fires are to be lit until after the briefing.
ALL entries are to be cooked onsite at the event using one of the designated cooking points using some version of camp oven or Dutch oven.
Billy Tea to be brewed in a traditional billy.
Each entrant will be allocated a campfire area and be solely responsible for their own fire.
Firewood will be supplied for cooking purposes, however entrants are welcome to supply their own.
A communal fire will be available to access extra coals if needed.
Entrants may have up to 2 helpers to assist with preparation in the preparation area, however only the entrant may participate in the cooking.
(If the entrant is under the age of 17, they must have an adult helper to supervise, the adult helper may enter the cooking area but not assist with cooking).
Enclosed footwear must be worn by participants during the event, thongs and sandals are NOT permitted at any time in the cooking and preparation area.
Organisers will have the final say in all matters of safety, however entrants are responsible for their own safety and that of their helpers and others within the preparation & cooking areas as well as taste testers and onlookers.
Competitors must maintain the highest level of cleanliness and hygiene during the competition.
Entrants are encouraged to bring their own ingredients.
In regards to the Billy Tea and Scones, organisers will provide the jam and dollop cream for serving unless the entrant wishes to make their own from scratch at the event.
In regards to the Camp Oven Pizza, entrants may only use 1 or more of the toppings on the list below. Entrants may however make the base from their own recipe and make their own special pizza sauce. No commercial pizza sauce allowed. Entrants may use any other condiments, herbs and spices
In regards to the Drovers Stew, entrants must use the protein (beef) supplied by our local butcher Kilkivan Meats.
Allowed Pizza Toppings; grated mozzarella cheese, olives, pineapple, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, capsicum, salami, pepperoni and bacon.
Please avoid the use of commercial pre-packaged foods such as gravy powder, pre-packaged cake/dough mixes, pastry etc.. If in doubt ask.
Competitors are not to use any modern cooking aids and appliances including but not limited to, laser thermometers, food processors, Mix Masters etc..
Competitors are encouraged to present their food in ‘sotck camp’ or ‘drover’s camp’ style including but not limited to: enamel plates, in pints, mugs, old cutlery etc..
The use of trivets, cake tins, baking paper and foil are allowed, while modern things like silicone moulds are not.
Competitors are not to sell or make a profit from any food pre-made or cooked onsite during the competition.
Interaction with the crowd is highly encouraged and you may give taste tests of your cooking to the crowd if you wish – just be hygiene and safely conscious.
KGHR reserves the right to take photography and videography during the event, which may be posted on our social media and website as promotional material in the future.
An entry fee of $25 per entrant is payable upon registration via Trybooking with a 100% payback as prize money to the overall winner.
The event is capped at 10 participants.
To enter the camp oven cook-off you will need to complete a waiver form by clicking on the button below, then download the form, complete it, and email it to kilkivangreathorseride@gmail.com
JUDGED AT 10.00AM.
PRIZE: A Letherman Bond tool proudly supplied by Leathernan Australia valued at $120.
BRIEF: Inspired by an English tradition, but with an Aussie twist, participants will make a traditional billy tea using the billy method. In the interests of public safety we ask that you DO NOT SWING THE BILLY, you may use a strainer. At the same time the tea is brewing, make some scones in the camp oven.
You’re welcome to go traditional in your recipe, however their are extra points on offer for putting an Aussie spin on them.
We supply the ‘dollop’ cream and jam for serving, but you are welcome to ‘make’ your own at the event. You may use some of our supplied and/or your own ingredients.
JUDGED AT 12PM
PRIZE: A full set of rubs, plus an apron, and a stubby cooler proudly supplied by Coast n Smoke, valued at $200
BRIEF: Yes, okay, a pizza isn’t likely something drovers would have cooked, and even the Italian Butteri (Italian Drover) would not have had pizza on the menu, but it is a fun twist that can really highlight a camp oven cook’s skills.
Making a nicely cooked pizza with a tasty, crispy base without burning it and ready for serving fresh from the oven may prove to be a real challenge for some, if not all participants.
To even things up for the judging, all entrants will use toppings from the same list. You can personalise the pizza with your own pizza base recipe, pizza sauce, herbs and spices and any condiments.
Entrants may use 1 or more of the toppings on the list below. Entrants may make the base from their own recipe and make their own special pizza sauce. No commercial pizza sauce is allowed. Entrants may use any other condiments, herbs and spices.
Toppings include: grated mozzarella cheese, olives, pineapple, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, capsicum, salami, pepperoni and bacon.
JUDGED AT 3PM.
PRIZE: A Compact Campfires CC450, proudly supplied by Compact Campfires, valued at $300
BRIEF: A stew would have to be as traditional as you can get for a drover’s dinner, so it’s only fitting we round up the cook-off with a good ol’ Aussie stew!
You *must use the beef we supply from Kilkivan Meats as your protein, other than that you can use your own ingredients to produce a stew you are proud of.
NOTE ON COOKING TIMES: From judging the pizza to judging the stew is only 3 hours, so you will likely want a second camp oven if you want to stew for a long time.
Kilkivan Great Horse Ride & Country Escape 2025 is an annual event held in Kilkivan, South-East Queensland. The event is organised by the Kilkivan Great Horse Ride Inc., a not-for-profit community organisation run by volunteers.
PO Box 52
Kilkivan Queensland 4600