WINTON'S famous past and its exciting future was on show at the town's iconic North Gregory Hotel on Saturday night.
Under a cloudless sky, residents and landholders mingled with local government leaders, tourism operators and movie industry identities at the inaugural Vision Splendid dinner - a celebration of all the good things about Winton.
Winton locals Amanda Searle and Cr Judy Sale make the most of a great night. Click on this image to see more photos in our online gallery.
The starlit dinner, an initiative of the North Gregory Hotel, Winton Shire Council and the Waltzing Matilda Centre, paid homage to the region's history and its emerging future as a tourism destination and screen location for the Australian film industry.
Sydney-based producer Bill Leimbach, Lucky Country Productions, told guests his latest project Banjo and Matilda the story of Waltzing Matilda would be shot in the Winton region.
The town was the logical choice, he said. It was the birth place of Waltzing Matilda and the song was performed publicly for the first time at the historic North Gregory Hotel.
In another first, Winton would soon host the world premiere of Mystery Road shot recently in and around the area.
Screen Queensland’s Rocky Bester said Winton was a great location for making movies and this was the message he would take back to Brisbane after spending time in the area.
Meanwhile, Winton “pioneers” former shire chairman Edward Charles Pender Phillott and William Henry Corfield, who built and operated the first North Gregory Hotel in partnership with Robert FitzMaurie, were honoured with Vision Splendid awards accepted by Charlie Phillott Jnr and Jeff Corfield.
And in a big day for the town, celebrations started earlier that morning when shire mayor Butch Lenton kicked off Waltzing Matilda Day celebrations at the Waltzing Matilda Centre.