General News
19 December, 2025
Special delivery: one bum bag, 170 years late
After a thorough reconnaissance of Horsham’s retail landscape in search of the perfect bum bag, also known in polite company as a fanny pack, a young local man conceded defeat and went online.
A music festival in Ballarat was looming, convenience was key, and express post was ticked with confidence.
Optimism, however, was misplaced.
As departure day arrived, so did the realisation that the parcel was not going to.
Thinking quickly, the young man attempted to divert the delivery for collection in Ballarat while he attended the festival. Sensible plan.
Unfortunately, the parcel did not share his sense of urgency and failed to arrive in time.
Several days later, the tracking update finally delivered good news.
The parcel had arrived, in Ballarat, by which time the young man was back home in Horsham.
Salvation appeared in the form of an upcoming trip to Geelong. Passing through Ballarat anyway, he decided to call into the post office and collect his long-awaited festival accessory.
Directions were followed carefully until they led him, somewhat unexpectedly, to Sovereign Hill.
Assuming a wrong turn, he double-checked the address before cautiously approaching the ticket booth.
Asked what type of ticket he required, he explained that he was simply there to collect a parcel from the post office.
After a pause, and likely a story for the staff room later, he was reluctantly allowed entry.
Winding his way past horse-drawn carts and townsfolk dressed in full 1850s attire, the young man located the post office.
The barcode was scanned, the parcel retrieved, and history repeated itself as the bum bag finally changed hands.
It had travelled through time, geography and mild embarrassment.
The festival had passed, but the story was secured for years to come.