Goanna Pulling Festival is probably not what you think. Goannas are Australian lizards, but this event does not involve pulling these little creatures. The event gets its name from the fact that the participants look like goannas when taking part in this competition. The event requires two people to face each other with a heavy leather strap joining them around their necks, then they pull each other in a version of tug-of-war.

The Australian National Goanna Pulling Championships event for 2010 will be the 25th Anniversary of Goanna Pulling in Wooli, NSW Australia, The event is to be held at Wooli Sports Ground on Sunday 3rd October. There are weight divisions (men: lightweight, middleweight, heavyweight, women under and over 70kg), and even junior competitions. The program has recently also included woodchopping, sprint races, brick carrying, dog obedience demonstration, markets, rides and hip-hop classes.
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