THE first ever edition of The Way it Was festival in Wallabadah has proved to be a huge success, with plenty of people heading to the town to check out what was on offer.
From car displays to shows, and of course plenty of food and drink options, it was a great day for all who attended.
The festival was set up following Racing NSW's cancellation of the Wallabadah Cup, due to safety concerns.
Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson said after a meeting with the local trust it was decided to shift the focus of the racecourse to more community-based activities.
"Community events are so important to regional towns and that is why the NSW government has partnered with the Wallabadah community to give it a fresh start, as part of our commitment to investing in local communities," he said.
"The land will now be able to be used to host a range of regional activities onsite like fairs and markets, functions, sports other than horse racing, and other community events
Member for Upper Hunter David Layzell said the Wallabadah reserve was originally set aside for horse racing, but the time had come for a change.
"We have re-gazetted it [the racecourse] for 'public recreation and other community purposes'," he said.