A couple of years ahead of Hughenden's recreational water lake being built, one of the district's young sports enthusiasts was getting her first taste of rowing.
Shanelle Flute took up the oars at Townsville Grammar School in year 8, a decision that's now seen her help hoist the biggest trophy in schoolgirl rowing in Queensland.
She was one of the St Margaret's 1st VIII crew that won the Brisbane Schoolgirls' Rowing Association Head of the River open eight final at Lake Wyaralong on Saturday.
The crew powered down the 2km course in a time of 6:50.77, some 2.92 seconds ahead of last year's winning school, Stuartholme, with All Hallows' a further 0.31 of a second back in third.
In 2018, St Margaret's placed third in the 1st VIII race.
Shanelle, one of four year 11 students in the victorious crew, was also honoured later in the day by being named St Margaret's senior oarswoman of the year in her second year of rowing for the school.
The full crew consisted of a combination of day and boarding students from years 10 to 12, showing a depth in the St Margaret's shed that augers well for the future.
Crew members include Lily Devereaux (year 12, bow seat), Pia Malouf (year 11), Margot Lisle (year 11), Rose Biddulph (year 12), Sophia Wightman (year 10), Shanelle Flute (year 11), Rosie Turnbull (year 10), Primrose Carrigan (year 10, stroke, Thallon), and Olivia Garland (year 11, cox, North Star, NSW).
The win was a serendipitous one for the school - 30 years earlier, St Margaret's parent Tony Eliot formed the Brisbane Schoolgirls Rowing Association, and he was on hand to present the percentage cup to St Margaret's last Saturday.
The Anglican girls school claimed a clean sweep on the day, winning the first, second and third division senior eight Head of the River pennants.
Its head of rowing, Jared Bidwell said while the 1st VIII led from start to finish, they never really broke away.
"They just kept a cool head, responded to any challenges from the other crews and put in their best possible race," he said.
Shanelle's mother, Nikki Flute, who travelled down from Hughenden to cheer from the riverbank said the girls had been under-estimated because of the number of younger crew members.
"What they achieved had a lot to do with attitude and how they came together," she said. "They were very nervous but were always contenders because of that."
Ms Flute has been running fitness classes in Hughenden for the past six years and said all the family tried to keep active.
Shanelle's name comes up in Porcupine Gorge running challenges and her father won the title for best local runner this year.
"Shanelle recently said to me, if she could wake up every day and row, she'd be happy," Ms Flute said.
Along with crews from around Queensland, she's still training for the state titles, to be held at Lake Wyaralong at the start of the September school holidays.
A full list of BSRA Head of the River results can be accessed here.
Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
