The Port Lincoln Tunarama Festival Inc. committee is saddened to announce that after 60 successful Tunarama Festivals, the event won’t be held in 2024 and that the committee itself will commence winding up.
“We are immensely proud as a committee of the work of past and present members, volunteers, quest ambassadors and supporters to create and uphold a tradition known as the Tunarama Festival for our community for over 60 years, however after several years of COVID and other factors, it is time for the event as we know it to end,” said Tunarama President Sharon Humenick.
“The festival has been supported by many local businesses over the years, including major partners Bendigo Community Bank, the City of Port Lincoln and the South Australian Tourism Commission, however times are changing and there is opportunity for a fresh look at the event and how it could be run in the future,” said Ms Humenick.
“I would also like to publicly thank the current Tunarama committee for their commitment and dedication over the past few months under difficult circumstances,” said Ms Humenick. (July 2023)
2023 Tunarama Festival supported by a grant from the Government of South Australia
2023 Bendigo Bank
Tunarama Festival
The Tunarama Ambassador Quest remains an integral part of every Tunarama Festival,
and has been since it's inception at our first Festival in 1962.
Ann Fuss, Miss Tunarama 1962
All 28 Miss Tunarama 1962 entrants.
1962 Miss Tunarama
Ann Fuss entered the first Tunarama Quest in 1962 as ‘Miss Cummins Rural Youth’.
There were 28 entrants and Ann, aged just 17, was crowned ‘Miss Tunarama'.
Ann was thrown into the limelight, attending lunches, balls and dances - with a chaperone - to promote the Tunarama Festival throughout the state and enjoyed a holiday on Hayman Island as a prize. Ann also appeared in The Australian Women’s Weekly, a major accolade for the time.
Ann attended our 50th Festival Celebrations along with many other past entrants and will always be regarded as the icon that is the first Tunarama Ambassador.
Here is the list of all our Ambassadors. Click on the photo to be taken to more information
Sue Connell, 1963
Tricia Tuck, 1967
Lesley Sawyer, 1971
Victoria Haas, 1975
Leanne Dennis, 1979
Marina Sarunic, 1983
Annette Fraser, 1987
Abby King, 1991
Simone Pieterman, 1995
Bridget North, 1999
Kylie Walker, 2003
Kimberley Biles, 2007
Kylie Jericho, 2011
Lain Montgomery, 2015
Damien Burner, 2019
Rosemary Speed, 1964
Terri O'Dea, 1968
Anne Buddle, 1972
Judy Nayda, 1976
Alison Mussolino, 1980
Andrea Medlin, 1984
Tracy Burgess, 1988
Tanya Workman, 1992
Jo Mader, 1996
Renae Gale, 2000
Christine Sherry, 2004
Alicia Shillabeer, 2008
Jessica Webb, 2012
Kellie Williams, 2016
Sue Agars, 1965
Anne Renwick, 1969
Sue Chambers, 1973
Shaylene McGeever, 1977
Lee-Anne Wajwoda, 1981
Debbie Smith, 1985
Tiffany Rehn, 1989
Cherylynne Hancock, 1993
Emma Smith, 1997
Amber Atterton, 2001
Shae Freeman, 2005
Abby Chesher, 2009
Vittorio Dal Grande, 2013
Heather Channon, 2017
Belinda Currie, 2020
Frances Oswald, 1966
Anne Turnbull, 1970
Jeanine Proctor, 1974
Debbie Errock, 1978
Dianne Carrison, 1982
Cherie Hewitt, 1986
Tracy Dinnison, 1990
Latisha Sleep, 1994
Rachael Blacker, 1998
Krista White, 2002
Abby King, 2006
Emily Rowe, 2010
Sarah Fletcher, 2014
Chantelle Lock, 2018
