Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village will host the 26^th Australian Town Crier Championships.

Last year’s winner and established town crier Gavin Barker will host the event from midday. He won the competition for loudest crier, with a reading of 94.5 decibels. He said there would be eight town criers coming from across Australia.

“There are two cries throughout the day,” Mr Barker said. “Competitors write two pieces – one is about their home town and the other about the Shipwreck Coast. The cries are up to 125 words long. A judge will check the words and if you miss one you lose a point. Another judges on volume, clarity, emphasis. You are meant to engage with the crowd. There is also a uniform and scroll judge.” 

Mr Barker said he was “a little bit disappointed” he wasn’t competing this year.

“But hosting is just as much fun,” he said.