Muster Dogs draw a crowd for Seniors Festival
Published on 10 October 2025
More than 200 people attended a special Muster Dogs showcase at Kaniva on Thursday, celebrating the 2025 Victorian Seniors Festival.
The event featured three contestants from the hit ABC series Muster Dogs – Kim Dodson from Kaniva, Rob Tuncks from Edenhope and Helen McDonald from Keith.
The trainers shared stories about how the program began, their time filming, and their experiences working with their dogs.
This was followed by a Q&A session with the audience.
In the afternoon, the three contestants and their dogs took to the arena for working dog demonstrations, moving cows, goats and sheep.
West Wimmera Shire Council Chief Executive Officer David Bezuidenhout said it was an all-ages event that brought the community together.
“Bringing the Muster Dogs team to West Wimmera was an exciting drawcard,” he said.
“It was wonderful to see such a strong turnout, with visitors travelling from across the Wimmera, South Australia, and even from Melbourne to be part of the day,” he said.
“It really shows how much people connect with the Muster Dogs story.”
“We were also pleased to welcome students from Kaniva College, who came along to watch the demonstrations.”
“It was a great opportunity for young people to see firsthand the skill and discipline involved in working with livestock and dogs.”
The Muster Dogs showcase was part of West Wimmera Shire Council’s month-long Seniors Festival celebrations.
Last week, members of the Edenhope Men’s Shed and Grampians Health Edenhope Day Centre visited Portland, where they toured the Port of Portland and the Alcoa Aluminium Smelter.
Next Wednesday, members of the Harrow, Kaniva and Goroke Men’s Sheds will travel to Rupanyup to visit the Rupanyup Men’s Shed, the Woods Museum and the Murtoa Stick Shed.
On Tuesday, 21 October, the Senior Citizen of the Year Award will be announced at the Kaniva Shire Hall, followed by the Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly Tribute Show featuring Rick Gauci and Steven Burns.
The celebrations will wrap up at Apsley Hall on Thursday, 30 October with a light luncheon and a performance by country music legend Kevin Sporer, who brings more than four decades of experience and an induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
West Wimmera Shire Council acknowledges the support of the Victorian Government’s 2025 Seniors Festival Active Living Program for funding the Muster Dogs and Kevin Sporer events, and the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing for supporting the Seniors Concert.