Councillor tops Sponge Challenge

By ERWIN CHLANDA Four eggs, 3/4 of a tablespoon of caster sugar, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, half a teaspoon of bicarb soda, 3/4 of a tablespoon of corn flour and just two teaspoons of flour and – Eureka – here was the creation earning Councillor Marli Banks the blue ribbon for the Sponge Challenge at the Alice Springs Show this morning. The criteria were taste, texture, presentation, fitting the category and looking good. Since 1960 the annual show has been known as the function where you see everybody you haven't seen since the previous show. The crowd is 20,000 (give or take) of the town's population of 25,912 (August 2021). The rides are immensely popular, especially for Aboriginal show goers. The cattle industry, which was instrumental in getting the Show under way, was represented by exactly 100 beasts from as far away as De Rose Hill in SA, 300 km to the south, and Tennant Creek, 500 km to the north, from where high school students brought nine head which are part of a pastoral school course. Missed the Show? Don't worry, tomorrow is Day Two, ending with a spectacular fireworks.