When the weather turned wet and windy on Friday, January 3 it added to the chaos with queues of traffic stretched along Market Street from the causeway where a jam-packed boat ramp car park was full of trailers.

President of the Merimbula Chamber of Commerce, Natalie Godward said: “There was a great buzz in town and although it could be inconvenient getting from one spot to another, the tourist business allows us to enjoy Merimbula all year round.”