A billy boiling competition at Tocal Fields Day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday is set to heat things up as contestants take up the challenge.

Their quest will begin with a block of wood, a tomahawk, some matches and a billy with 600ml of water in it, as well as a squirt of detergent. 

Then the creativity, and the strategy kicks in.

Each contestant has to chop their wood into burnable pieces, work out how to create the ideal fire that will have their billy boiling in the fastest time. 

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The best time on record, set at last year’s event, is eight minutes.

The heats will take place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 11.30am and 1.30pm. 

Competition organiser Allan George thinks it can be done even faster.

“Eight minutes is the best time we’ve had to date and that was a big improvement on 2016 when our best time was 13 minutes,” he said.

“The block of wood is about 150mm square. From it they cut out some larger pieces to sit the billy on initially.

“They can move it as the fire develops and can stack the wood again to give it enough support as the fire burns around it. 

“Basically, they’ve got eight minutes to chop up parts of the wood, get the fire going and boil the water in the billy. 

“We put a bit of detergent in the water so it froths up and flows over the side when it’s boiled.”

Mr George said the activity was a fun way to make an old skill relevant in today’s modern world. 

“There’s a few people who have been doing this for a while and they have got it down to an art form.

“There’s other billy boiling competitions around the state and some people travel to them, but at Tocal we mostly get local people having a go. It’s something different for them to try.”

All of the materials are supplied. Heats are held over the three days. To compete fill in the entry form.