bushmen's carnivals, the australian equivalents of american rodeos, originated in northern new south wales in the 1920s and were well established by the 1930s. in 1930 warwick, queensland added the american-style contests of clowns, ropers and trick riders to its programme to promote more public interest. these carnivals were sports days that held the main event of campdrafting, plus buckjumping, bullock (or steer) riding and bullock throwing. during world war ii many queensland towns such as charters towers, goondiwindi, hughenden, ingham, rockhampton and toowoomba held rodeos to raise money for hospitals and returned soldiers. the end of the war saw a revival of the carnivals and the birth of the tradition of donating proceeds to local charities, service organisations and sporting clubs. some small town rodeos such as those held at burketown, queensland (population 173) have donated around $36,000 to the royal flying doctor service. bushmen's carnivals are held in the main country towns of the cattle country across the eastern states of australia and south australia.