The magic of the Never Never will come alive in Mataranka with its biggest annual event returning during the election weekend.
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While the event falls on the day most Australians will be casting their deciding votes in the election, organisers are counting on many to have utilised pre-polling stations set up across the NT.
Held over three days, more than 800 people are expected to pass through the tiny town, about an hours drive from Katherine.
Sitting on the banks of the Roper River, the town of about 400, becomes a hive of activity with sport, food, music and culture.
The festival is a tribute to Jeannie Gunn's famous 1908 novel We of the Never Never, which put Mataranka on the international stage.
A small group of local organisers have been working hard to keep the festival up and running year on year.
"Mataranka in itself, without anything on, has a lot to do - from the hot springs to the The Never Never Museum, it is a great place to spend the weekend," one of the event organisers and Mayor of the Roper Gulf Regional Council, Judy MacFarlane said.
"It is going to be an action packed weekend with lots of sport, markets, culture and of course the rodeo."
For the first time in a long time, riders testing their fate at the ever-popular rodeo will be able to accumulate points towards their national score.
"We are expecting lots of competition this year, as it is our first ABCRA point scoring rodeo in a long while," Ms MacFarlane said.
"Over the past two years we have had more and more people attending this rodeo, so we have really put all of our effort into making it the best it can possibly be."
The festival kicks off on Friday with a dinner fundraiser, raising funds for the town's museum.
On Saturday it is all about sport with cricket and netball competitions taking place before the rodeo.
Mataranka's market season starts on Sunday, with a 'no-more domestic violence' march happening on the main street as well.
Sitting alongside Elsey National Park, made famous in Jeannie Gunn's popular novel 'We of the Never Never', visitors can also soak up the natural swimming spots, Indigenous and World War II history and try their luck with a rod and line at the many fishing spots along the river.
Tickets can be purchased at the festival, costing $15 for adults, $10 for children and pensioners, children under five are free.
For more information head to the Facebook page here.
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