Easter in Lancelin

Easter weekend is the last big weekend of the ‘warm’ season in Western Australia, so everyone heads up to Lancelin for one last kite surf, wind surf, boat ride and glorious weekend away. For those of us who work in hospitality, however, it is the busiest weekend of the year.

Fortunately, WA law forbids the sale of liquor on good Friday, so all of the tavern staff head out to Lancelin island for a great big staff party (booze and feast sponsored by the Tavern). We spent a glorious morning in the sun, wading in the water with a beer, sandwiches in the shade and great company. There were no Easter eggs, or turkey, but there was a very merry celebration.
Just as I was thinking I’d soaked up enough sun and beer, Scott called and told me we were going on an adventure!

After being swept up in a boat and a quick change, we headed south toward Perth and I was still in left in the dark as to our secret destination. As we arrived, I found out I was about to experience a true remote aussie tradition; the burnout competition at the speedway. I’ve seen a car race before, and even a demolition derby, but the concept of a burnout competition was very foreign to me. Let me explain:

Imagine sixty or so brightly painted, supped up, turbo charged and exceptionally loud cars roaring into the line up and popping their hoods to show off the goods. Then, one at a time, they enter the ‘snake pit’ and proceed to spin about and burn out their tires causing as much smoke and noise as possible, with of course the signature ‘POP’ of a tire, or two, at the end. I am told no one of these criteria can win a man (or woman) the burnout competition, but it is a combination of style and effect judged by an elite group of tire company sponsors.

You can understand, that the impressiveness of this spectacle was lost on me. That is, until I saw it for my very own eyes. At first I was sceptical, but with the energy of the crowd, I found myself cheering and clapping for the impressive tire explosion that goes along with a burnout competition.
By the end of the evening we smelled like burning rubber, but we’d had a really good time and I walked away with a much more positive understanding of this bizarre Australian tradition.