My Countrytown: Jacinta Byrne - Thargomindah

Regional towns are in our blood here at CountryTown! From Capricornia to Coles Bay, Palmerston to Bendigo. We love the pubs, the people and the places that make Australia tick. But most of all, we love the amazing country musicians our regional centers produce, like Jacinta Byrne.

Born in Thargomindah, South West Queensland, the CMAA Graduate has released her debut self-penned single, One Way Ticket To Heartbreak off her forthcoming first album. At just 17 years old, Jacinta has already established herself as a performer who pours her heart and soul into her songs both on and off stage. This has led to wins at the CCMA Awards as Junior Champion of the Year and the TCCMA Awards as the National Champion at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in 2020.

To get to know Jacinta a little better, we’ve asked what she loves about her hometown, Thargomindah.

1. Everybody knows everybody

We are a small community that sticks by each other in quiet times. We thrive off the tourist season. Enjoying the local events, whether it be, the Quick Shears (to compete in the fastest shorn sheep or quickest fleece throw), P&C’s Christmas tree in the park (where we see the kids' faces' light up when Santa arrives on the fire truck) and not to mention the battle of the coral night for all the local business – it all brings us all together.

It’s not bad growing up in a small town, there is a lot of support from everyone and they cherish your achievements as much as you do. But you can’t get away with anything, being that everyone knows you in town means that mum and dad always find out ... sometimes even before you get home. 

2. Horsing about

To some, the bare red dirt may seem daunting, but the clay pans to us mean entertainment. From sitting back watching and waiting for someone to have a buster showing off on their motorbike, to the freedom of letting your horse run. I have been fortunate to compete in barrel races at our local rodeo, which inspiring me to write a song called Welcome To My World, that will be released on my upcoming album.

3. Bulloo River

The Bulloo River is a natural water catchment that is of a murky brown colour and about 600km long overflows at Bulloo Downs Station. During flood time, we have fun floating down the river – starting at bridges and ending at Pelican Point by old car tubes. The best part is sitting on the bridge for the flood truck to drive by to give us a big wave. I also don’t mind spending all day sitting on the banks trying to catch a bite from the Yellowbelly Golden Perch, but we always manage to come home with a bucket full of yabbies.

4. Motorbikes

The local Motorbike Gymkhana and Enduro is held in September. Every year people come together from near and far to enjoy the thrilling and grueling weekend of bikes, dust and mud. Given that my family and I love riding bikes so much, it's no surprise that I leap at the opportunity to participate in all the events – with the goal of competing (currently on the wait list) and finishing the Tatts Finke Desert Race 2021. I do tend to draw the spectators attention, even having a sneaky bet or two on the sidelines on the odds of myself having buster – I’m always there for a laugh!

5. Family and support

The first time I held a microphone was singing Merle Haggard's Today I Started Loving You Again as a 4-year-old at the Bulloo River Hotel. I have always had the support from the local’s through and through. From my first attempt of writing a song and now releasing my single, I believe I wouldn’t be where I am today without their encouragement. My biggest supporters have always been my family – with the long hours of travelling around Queensland and NSW to singing competitions and my family standing in the crowd watching my performances. But, there is one thing, it doesn’t matter where I go, everyone knows me as the little blonde girl from Thargo.

Follow Jacinta on her Facebook page here.

For more of our My CountryTown series, check out here.

Image: via Facebook