But the turning of the Smeaton mill’s iconic waterwheel certainly made a splash with visitors. 

The festival was a major fundraiser for the Newlyn Football Netball club, cancer support and the Smeaton CFA.

Front and centre yet again was the region’s food, wine and music, including spicy Italian bullboar sausages, trout rolls and hand-crafted whites, reds and sparkling wines from cool climate vineyards in the region.

Alternative folk band Buddha in a Chocolate Box, bluesy folk band Holy Moses Heartache and some performers from Ballarat High School all kept toes tapping. 

Stalls included a variety of arts and crafts, such as handmade woollen coats and scented candles and soaps.

Children were kept entertained with a petting zoo, face painting and a temporary tattoo station, while adults were delighted by wood turning, blacksmithing, sheep shearing and working horse displays.

There were also tours of the mill by Anderson  family descendant Peter Muelan.

The five-storey blue-stone mill was built in 1861 by the Anderson family and produced much of the region’s flour and oats until it closed in 1957.

Newlyn Football Netball Club secretary Kerry Leishman described the day as “perfect”.

“It all went really well,” Mrs Leishman said.

“The numbers were down a little bit because of the (World Cup) cricket and it was a week earlier than usual because of Easter but everyone had a great time.

“As an organiser, everything went off perfectly.”