Kurri Kurri defeated Marylands in the final after local side Port City bowed out in the round of 16. Mosman finished third and Grafton rounded out the top four.

Port City was the best-performing team from the Hastings area that included Westport, Wauchope, Lake Cathie, North Haven and Port Panthers.

Port City president Judy Brady said two of their eight sides made the section playoffs, but unfortunately that was as far as they would progress.

“For us to come out on top (of the locals) was a fantastic effort,” Brady said.

Women’s Bowls NSW president Robyn Procter said the week-long event started with almost 30-degree temperatures out at Wauchope.

By the end of the week the temperature had dropped to the high-teens although it felt significantly cooler with a blustery westerly blowing.

“We started in the heat on Monday and by Wednesday morning there was frost on the grass at Wauchope,” Procter said.

Fortunately the rain which had plagued the tournament in previous years stayed away.

“The weather was absolutely brilliant and it went like clockwork,” Procter said.

“It was also good to get a couple of teams who wouldn’t normally end up in the last four, especially Kurri Kurri because they were a composite team and had one lady from Telarah.

“It was a good effort from them.”

Next year the carnival will be held in the Illawarra region although it could return to the Hastings in three years’ time.

“Port Macquarie are keen to have it return in a couple of years because it’s a beautiful spot and they were working under extremely difficult conditions with their renovations,” Procter said.