The Victorian Medieval festival is turning into a great hit with re-enactors - and so is a pallet-load of watermelons.
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The pile of fruit in a paddock at Kryal Castle is being hurled up the slope of Mount Warrenheip, thanks to a 13 metre counterweight trebuchet.
The giant catapult is based on what would have been used in Europe during the 1400s and was made by Ballarat man Craig Sitch.
On Friday evening he was testing it in the red soil of Leigh Creek.
We've tried smashing pumpkins - but smashing watermelons are much more spectacular.
- Craig Sitch, trebuchet creator.
"We've taken this trebuchet to Adelaide and Sydney a couple of times. It can be flat-packed on a tandem trailer and is entirely put together with natural-fibre ropes and wooden pegs, which is what would have happened in the middle ages," Mr Sitch said.
![Testing the 13m trebuchet on Friday - with the first of many watermelons ready to go. Picture by Gabrielle Hodson. Testing the 13m trebuchet on Friday - with the first of many watermelons ready to go. Picture by Gabrielle Hodson.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/177877894/fdbc9dd5-872f-4164-8ce8-9e1a747e7065.JPG/r25_0_1567_866_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"We've tried smashing pumpkins - but smashing watermelons are much more spectacular.
"We've also got a 10 kilogram iron ball we use sometimes and a 7 kilogram concrete version.
"With the right amount of kerosene we can create 'Great Balls of Fire' - but we won't be doing that this weekend."
The most important ingredient however, is about half a ton of sand.
Wet it - and it gets heavy - creating even better ballast.
"We can throw something about 150 metres if we get good wet sand," Mr Sitch said.
"About 600 metres is the record for this trebuchet. That time it went so far, it was difficult to find the object."
![The giant catapult was made by Ballan man Craig Sitch (pictured with hat) who also makes armour for the re-enactment community. Picture by Gabrielle Hodson. The giant catapult was made by Ballan man Craig Sitch (pictured with hat) who also makes armour for the re-enactment community. Picture by Gabrielle Hodson.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/177877894/24d86de5-4279-4153-939e-28207b6ca364.JPG/r45_0_1526_831_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The team has dug a small flat section into the sloped paddock as a foundation.
Too steep - and the trebuchet won't be hurling anything.
"It's just physics. It's really a giant lever," festival creative director Andrew McKinnon said.
"In the old days transport was a big deal, so many of these would have been made on the spot from timber they could find."
The first tests on Friday saw a mis-fire, a 40 metres throw and a powerful throw that landed 60 metres away but required a few new ropes.
![Ballarat's biggest food fight is on the way - when this medieval weapon hurls watermelons at Leigh Creek on Saturday and Sunday. Picture by Gabrielle Hodson. Ballarat's biggest food fight is on the way - when this medieval weapon hurls watermelons at Leigh Creek on Saturday and Sunday. Picture by Gabrielle Hodson.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/177877894/a10988dd-b43d-4ea1-b867-e55eeabb67ca.JPG/r0_0_1322_890_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The team said that for safety, spectators needed to keep an arc of 100m clear in front of the trebuchet and 50 metres at the back.
The huge catapult - bigger than an average power pole - will be flinging fruit from 12.30pm and 5pm on Saturday and Sunday, next to the festival tent area.
The camp area itself is a re-created tent village spanning the era from 800-1600, complete with authentic bedding, furniture, cooking gear and crafts.
Oh - and of course the costumes.
Parts of the festival program have sold out, but some walk-in tickets are still available at the festival gate.
They also allow entry into Kryal Castle next door, which will feature displays of jousting in the main arena.
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