Kalbarri community gala set to feature garden soiree theme, bringing together locals, volunteers to celebrate

Kalbarri’s night of nights, the formal community gala, is set down for Saturday, May 16 at its usual prime beachside spot. This year’s gala theme of garden soiree will make way for an elegant garden party bursting with florals, pastels and vintage hues. Put on for the community by the Kalbarri Development Association, the gala will run from 5.30-11.30pm on the grassed area at Chinaman’s Beach in front of the Murchison River Mouth. The association said the $135 per person ticket price would include professional photos, canapes, a grazing table, live music and door prizes. “This event was originally created to show our appreciation and give recognition to our local volunteers who are consistently giving up their time for the benefit of the community,” the association said. “We will be announcing Kalbarri’s “volunteer of the year” on the night with an award presentation.” This year’s gala commemorates the five-year anniversary of cyclone Seroja, making it even more significant. The gala was first established in 2023 after the devastating cyclone decimated the town, pulling together the entire community to support one another and rebuild together. The gala is an event to celebrate the volunteers’ hard work, resilience and dedication to the people of Kalbarri. Jamie-lee Loffler, gala organiser, was significantly impacted by the cyclone and wanted to create an event to give back to her community. “I personally lost my house and nearly my business in Seroja, which put me under so much financial and emotional stress. One year on from the cyclone, there were still so many people without rebuilt homes and the town was still in a shambles,” she said. “We wanted the gala to be the one good thing to come from Seroja. When we started planning, we wanted a formal event that no one had seen in Kalbarri before.” Ms Loffler said the event originally paid respects to the emergency volunteers who worked 12-hour days for up to four to five weeks in the cyclone aftermath, but was now an event to recognise all current volunteers in the community. Funding raised from the event was small after paying all necessary bills for the event and its staff, Ms Loffler said. However, the little savings made are given back to the KDA to be funnelled into other community events. The association said for anyone interested in attending the gala, tickets were selling fast for the town’s “night of nights”.