The not-for-profit event is run mainly by volunteers wanting to give back to the community and agriculture industry.

Committee president and Murra Warra farmer David Jochinke said he had memories of going to the field days before he had even started school.

‘‘It has been an institution for so many farming families for such a long time,’’ he said. 

‘‘It is a privilege to be a part of it and give something back.’’ 

Mr Jochinke said the event would not run without a dedicated team of volunteers. 

‘‘When it comes to it, the committee is the life-blood of the field days,’’ he said. 

‘‘Without those resources, it would never run.’’ 

This year marks the first year on the committee for Longerenong farmer Robyn Gulline, but she is far from a newcomer to the event.

Serving as a committee member runs in the Gulline family. 

‘‘My husband Don and his father Graeme were on the committee for about 40 years – my father-in-law was on the committee for 35 years and Don was 15 years,’’ she said. 

‘‘My husband has since passed away and last year, for the first time in 40 years, there was not a Gulline on the committee.

‘‘I decided I had to step up and carry on the tradition. 

‘‘I’ve been around it for a long time, so I knew what I was getting into.’’ 

Mrs Gulline lives opposite the field days site and has been involved in lots of different ways.

She joined the committee to add a different prospective. 

‘‘This will be the 19th field days I’ve been to and I’ve done everything from making sandwiches for the  Lutheran Church to being a lecturer at Longerenong College and being there manning the college site,’’ she said.

‘‘I’m also an exhibitor, been there as a committee member’s wife and brought my young children to the field days.

‘‘I am now a farmer too, so I think I’m more than qualified to be on the committee. 

‘‘It’s good to have a broad range of skills and interest to create an event that appeals to a cross-section of the community.

‘‘There is not much I haven’t been involved with at the field days. 

‘‘I have worn so many different hats but I’ve enjoyed everything.’’ 

Mrs Gulline said she could see herself staying on the committee for as long as the rest of her family.

‘‘My son will probably join me soon and take over for me eventually,’’ she said. 

‘‘He has come to a couple of working bees already. 

‘‘We have a long-standing association with the event.’’ 

Veteran member and Kalkee farmer Tom Blair has been on the committee for 34 years. 

He encouraged more people to join. 

‘‘There are about 35 of us on the committee and we need to maintain that,’’ he said.

‘‘We get new young ones come along every year.’’ 

Mr Blair said the committee was a great example of all ages working together.

He said young people were the future of the committee. 

‘‘It’s good to see some of the younger boys coming along to help. It shows they are interested,’’ he said. 

Field days manager Murray Wilson aid any surplus revenue collected from operating the field days each year was used to cover costs of the next annual field days. 

‘‘Operating surplus is also directly reinvested back into the Wimmera Events Centre site,’’ he said.

‘‘It enables the entire site to continue to be improved for a wide variety of events throughout the year, for an ever increasing range of new business and community user groups needing a major events centre in the Wimmera.’’