The Oleander Carnival was started to raise money for different purposes but particularly for the pool at Main Beach.  This was held once a year.  I took part one year as a princess.  That year there were 3 girls, and the one who raised the most money was crowned Queen.  I had a group of ladies, including my mother, Betty McDonald, who all worked tirelessly, with raffles, street stalls, garden parties to raise the money every year.  The Oleander plant has white or pink flowers, the plant is poisonous, pretty, a hardy plant and was grown around Byron Bay in many streets and can be seen around town today. 

BACK TO BYRON PARADE. 1984. MARVEL STREET.Photo:Cherrie Carver...No.70839

BACK TO BYRON PARADE. 1984. MARVEL STREET.Photo:Cherrie Carver...No.70838

OLEANDER QUEEN'S ROBE. MODELLED BY MY GRANDDAUGHTER AYLA VARGAS...No.70778

OLEANDER PARADE HAD STARTED AT THE RAILWAY LINE WHERE THE DUMP / FARMERS MARKET GROUNDS ARE. TIMPERLEY'S GARAGE AND WORKSHOP IN THE BACKGROUND. Photo Gerry Bertoli. Locals Only Byron Bay...No.70750

OLEANDER CARNIVAL FLOAT WITH TIMPERLEY'S GARAGE BEHIND. CORNER OF JONSON AND LAWSON STREETS.Photo:Gerry Bertoli. Locals Only Byron Bay...No.70749

GYMNASTICS FLOAT IN THE OLEANDER CARNIVAL PARADE TURNING INTO MARVEL STREET...No.70748

OLEANDER CARNIVAL FLOAT 1987. AFRA MULLINS SAYS EMBARASSINGLY I WAS THE PRINCESS ON THE FLOAT. BOYS SKATING MADE ME FEEL LESS LIKE A TOOL. Photo:Locals Only Byron Bay...No.70746

BYRON BAY PRINCESS'S RHYS WRIGHT, QUEEN STEPHANIE WEBB.Photo:Byron News...No.70279

OLEANDER CARNIVAL 1966 NARELLE YAGER WAS OLEANDER QUEEN..RHONDA DALLIMORE WAS PRINCESS THAT YEAR. DOES SOMEONE HAVE THE CROWN STORED SAFELY AT HOME? ...No.70636

BYRON BAY OLEANDER CARNIVAL. THIS LOOKS LIKE A CLUB IN THE PARADE. (MAYBE A BMX CLUB). TIMPERLEY'S GARAGE IN THE BACKGROUND.Photo:Gerry Bertoli...No.70685

BYRON BAY OLEANDER CARNIVAL. PHOTO TAKEN FROM THE BERTOLI BUILDING. THE PARADE IS COMING FROM THE OLD DUMP SITE. TIMPERLEY'S GARAGE IS IN THE BACKGROUND AND A CHILD ON A DECORATED BIKE IS BEHIND THE VAN. I REMEMBER DECORATING MY BIKE WITH CREPE PAPER, THREADING IT IN AND OUT OF THE SPOKES ON THE WHEELS.Photo:Gerry Bertoli...No.70683

OLEANDER CARNIVAL FLOAT. COMING FROM THE OLD DUMP SITE AND ACROSS THE RAILWAY LINE. NOTICE HOW SMALL THE TREES ON THE LEFT ARE. IT LOOKS LIKE GERRY HAS TAKEN THE PHOTO FROM THE BALCONY OF THE BERTOLI BUILDING. Photo:Gerry Bertoli...No.70682

OLEANDER CARNIVAL FLOAT, PRINCESS AFRA MULLINS. 1987...No.70681

BYRON BAY OLEANDER CARNIVAL PRINCESS, KERRY McDONALD (myself) ABOUT 1964 IN THE PARADE FROM THE BEACH FRONT TO THE RECREATION GROUND...No.70153

OLEANDER QUEEN MAUREEN WEIR 1971. MAUREEN IS THE DAUGHTER OF THE LATE KELSEY WEIR OF BROWNING STREET. AFTER LEAVING MULLUMBIMBY HIGH SCHOOL SHE WORKED IN BANNISTERS PHARMACY FOR FOUR YEARS BEFORE JOINING THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY IN MAY 1972. SHE HAS RISEN TO THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT AND IN 1983 RECEIVED THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA. MAUREEN IS CURRENTLY SERVING IN CANBERRA IN THE DIRECTORATE OF NAVAL RECRUITING.Photo;Byron News...No.70273

OLEANDER PARADE DOWN JONSON STREET WITH THE BERTOLI BUILDING BEHIND...No.70096

OLEANDER CARNIVAL CANDIDATES FOR 1981 SHANE ASTILL AND DEBBY GINGER (BYRON BAY YOUTH CLUB). THE MONEY RAISED WAS GOING TOWARDS THE BUILDING OF A COMMUNITY CENTRE IN TOWN...No.70562

OLEANDER CARNIVAL FIRST QUEEN IN 1963. QUEEN NARELLE RAYS (MY COUSIN) WITH VICKI McDONALD (MY SISTER) AND GEOFFREY FLOWERS...No.70312

OLEANDER CARNIVAL PARADE FROM MAIN BEACH TO THE RECREATION GROUND.Photo:Patch Gene...No.70268

BYRON BAY OLEANDER CARNIVAL FLOAT.Photo:Patch Gene.Voice of Byron...No.70233

OLEANDER FLOAT AT THE TOP WAS ENTERED BY THE COMMUNITY CENTRE 1983...No.70756

OLEANDER CARNIVAL 1984. COMMUNITY CENTRE PRINCESS, SYLVIA HUNTER (RAISED $1,000; OLEANDER QUEEN, BOWLING CLUB (RAISED $3,326.27); PRE-SCHOOL PRINCESS, RONI GRAHAM (RAISED $1,465.93); AND 1983 OLEANDER CARNIVAL QUEEN, SHARON PHELPS.Photo:The Byron News...No.70752

OLEANDER CARNIVAL FLOAT. JASON KEEVERS FISH MAN MARK AND JOHN HOLLIS. Photo: Valmai Porter. Locals Only Byron Bay...No.70751

OLEANDER CARNIVAL.Photo:Gerry Bertoli...No.70687

OLEANDER CARNIVAL. 1981. BUNJI THE BULL.Photo:Barry Ferrier...No.70686

BYRON BAY OLEANDER CARNIVAL FLOAT. ENTERING JONSON STREET FROM THE OLD DUMP SITE. TIMPERLEY'S GARAGE IS IN THE BACKGROUND.Photo:Gerry Bertoli...No.70684

OLEANDER CARNIVAL PARADE. Photo:Lisa Falzon.Locals only Byron Bay...No.70349

OLEANDER PARADE ENTRANT.Photo:Patch Gene.Voice of Byron...70231

OLEANDER QUEENS. 1981 LOUISE TIERNAN, 1982 DIANNE ELLIOT, 1985 JODI HANDERSON, 1989 DEBBIE WOOLARD, 1990 NICHOLE FLATLEY Photo:Byron News...No.70272

BYRON BAY OLEANDER CARNIVAL FLOAT HEADING DOWN JONSON STREET TO THE RECREATION GROUNDS WHERE THERE WERE FUN ACTIVITIES...No.70083

Oleander Carnival Byron Bay. The Fire Engine sprayed water over the crowd on either side of the road...No.70349

OLEANDER CARNIVAL 1981. HEADING DOWN JONSON STREET WITH THE BERTOLI BUILDING ON THE RIGHT...No.70269

OLEANDER CARNIVAL 1985 GYMNASTICS FLOAT. A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE FLOATS THREW LOLLIES TO THE CROWD AS THEY TRAVELLED FROM MAIN BEACH TO THE RECREATION GROUND..No.70265

BYRON BAY OLEANDER CARNIVAL ENTRANT.Photo:Voice of Byron.Patch Gene...No.70228

OLEANDER CARNIVAL ATTRACTED BUSINESSES AND ORGANISATIONS WHO WERE REPRESENTED WITH A FLOAT THAT THEY MADE THEMSELVES. IT WAS ALWAYS EXCITING AS WE ALL KNEW MOST OF THE PEOPLE ON THE FLOATS AND THEY THREW LOLLIES TO THE CROWD.Photo:Know what I miss about Byron Bay...No.70159

OLEANDER CARNIVAL 1964. A FASHION PARADE WITH DENISE CAMPBELL THE MODEL AT MOLLY COATES BACK YARD IN BROWNING STREET AND KERRY McDONALD WAS THE PRINCESS RAISING MONEY. (WELL, HER MOTHER BETTY McDONALD DID ALL OF THE WORK WITH HER GROUP OF LADIES) KERRY JUST HAD TO SHOW UP AT THE FUNCTIONS...No.70132

OLEANDER CARNIVAL FLOAT, THE CELLAR BOTTLE SHOP...No.70198

Oleander Princess Poem. Photo:The Byron News 1983...No.70757

OLEANDER CARNIVAL 1982. MERRYN HOPKINS, BYRON DISSTRICT HOSPITAL. JENNIE MIKELLIDES, BOWLING CLUB. DIANNE MORRISON, SEAHORSE BOARDRIDERS CLUB. MONEY RAISED GOES TO BB HOSPITAL AND A NEW COMMUNITY CENTRE. HIGHLIGHT AT THE CARNIVAL WAS AN AIRQUATICS RELAY RACE AT MAIN BEACH, VARIETY CONCERTS AND THE GRAND PARADE FOLLOWED BY A VARIED PROGRAMME OF DISPLAYS, AMUSEMENTS AND CROWNING AT 6PM AT THE RECREATION GROUND. Photo:The Byron News...No.70755

OLEANDER QUEEN CANDIDATES 1986. MANDY ROBERTS, 22 B.B.HIGH SCHOOL KYLIE McMASTER 10, B.B.SERVICES ANGLING CLUB. VANESSA LEE 16, TRACY PARKER 19, TODDLERS INN CHILDCARE CENTRE. No.70754

OLEANDER CARNIVAL BALL. JACK LEONARD SECRETARY OF ROTARY, PRINCESS'S SHARON PHELPS, SHARON TEMPLEMAN, KIM BIRMINGHAM, DEBBY MILGATE AND HENRY EDWARDS BYRON BAY BOWLING CLUB PRESIDENT...No.70854

OLEANDER CARNIVAL QUEEN NARELLE RAYS.Photo;Byron News. ..No.70275

OLEANDER QUEEN.A 17 YEAR OLD LOCAL GIRL (NARELLE RAYS) WAS CROWNED QUEEN OF THE OLEANDERS ON SATURDAY AT BYRON BAY'S FIRST OLEANDER CARNIVAL. A CROWD ESTIMATED AT 2,500 WATCHED THE CEREMONY.Photo;Byron News...No.70276

OLEANDER CARNIVAL FLOAT 1987.Photo:Locals Only Byron Bay...No.70679

ESME HULL, BETINA FEROS, KERRY McDONALD (myself) ABOUT 1964. THE GIRLS REPRESENTING A HARD WORKING ORGANISATION OF LADIES. THE GROUP WHO RAISED THE MOST MONEY WON BEING CROWNED QUEEN. THE MONEY WAS RAISED FOR THE SWIMMING POOL FOR YEARS...No.70650

BYRON BAY OLEANDER CARNIVAL ENTRANT FOR POOLMAN'S GARAGE TIGERS IN YOUR TANK TEAM. DAWN CLARKE, ROBYN BANNAH, NITA MARR, CONNIE KEANE...No.70100

BYRON BAY OLEANDER QUEEN CANDIDATES LOUISE TIERNAN AND MELISSA TAYLOR.Photo:Byron News...No.70563

OLEANDER CARNIVAL PARADE. PHOTO: Patch Gene. Voice of Byron.,,No.70267

BYRON BAY OLEANDER CARNIVAL ENTRANT.Photo:Patch Gene.Voice of Byron...No.70232

OLEANDER CARNIVAL FUN AT NIGHT, THE FUN ALL HAPPENED AT THE AMBULANCE STATION. THE CHOCOLATE WHEEL WAS ALWAYS ON THE FOOTPATH OUTSIDE THE DOOR. INSIDE WERE LONG TABLES FOR BINGO, WITH OUR BINGO CARD, (STEEL PLATES WITH NUMBERS PUNCHED INTO THEM INSIDE EACH INDIVIDUAL SQUARE WITH A HANDLE AT THE TOP) AND WITH BOTTLE TOPS TO COVER THE NUMBERS...No.70170

OLEANDER CARNIVAL THREE PRINCESSES, KERRY McDONALD (myself), ESME HULL AND BETINA FEROS AT A FASHION PARADE IN MOLLY COATE'S BACK YARD IN BROWNING STREET. THE PRINCESS WHO RAISED THE MOST MONEY WAS CROWNED QUEEN AT THE RECREATION GROUND, CONDUCTED ON THE BACK OF A TRAY TRUCK, SITTING ON A QUEENS CHAIR WITH A RED ROBE AND A RED CROWN.1964? .......INFORMATION UNDER THE PHOTO SAYS....PICTURED AT THE GARDEN PARTY HELD LAST WEEKEND IN BYRON BAY WERE OLEANDER QUEEN CANDIDATES (LEFT TO RIGHT) KERRY McDONALD (CIVIC), ESMA HULL (BUSINESS) AND BETINA FEROS (SPORTING). AS KERRY WAS THE HOSTESS QUEEN CANDIDATE FOR THE AFTERNOON SHE PRESENTED THE OTHER GIRLS WITH SMALL POSIES MADE IN AN OLD ENGLISH STYLE. SCENE OF THE PARTY WAS MRS.COATE'S ATTRACTIVE GROUNDS IN BYRON BAY...PHOTO WILTSHIRE (BYRON BAY). No.70139

OLEANDER CARNIVAL FINISHED AT THE RECREATION GROUND AT THE END OF THE PROCESSION, THE QUEEN WAS CROWNED (ON THE BACK OF A TRAY TRUCK), WITH A CROWN AND A ROBE. (ELLEN WILTSHIRE IS HOLDING THE FLAG AT THE FRONT)...No.70142

BYRON BAY OLEANDER CARNIVAL ENTRANT.Photo:Patch Gene.Voice of Byron...No.70230

LINKS TO OTHER OLD BYRON BAY IMAGES:

​OLD BYRON BAY PAGE 1  

OLD BYRON BAY PAGE 2 

OLD SURF CLUB IMAGES  

SAND MINING 

WHALING JETTIES WOLLONGBAR IMAGES  

PEOPLE IMAGE

​OLD LIGHTHOUSE VIDEO