Community & Business
2 March, 2026
Battle of the Brains
Clifton’s great annual battle of cunning, intellect, cheek and curiosity was waged at The Clifton Show and with a big prize pool up for grabs, thanks to the Clifton Landcare Group, teams from local primary schools had everything to play for.
When we think about great battles we think about Agincourt, Marathon, Gaugamela, The Somme, or the NRL Grand Final.
Every civilisation has the great battle they look back on, to remind them of who they are, where they stand.
Clifton, has The Battle of the Brains.
The annual academic ambush was held in a marquee, on the south end of the show grounds.
Families, friends and onlookers huddled together to keep out of the rain, and peer in on the teams as they competed.
Over five rounds, two teams from each of the local primary schools: St Francis de Sales, Clifton, Back Plains and Nobby, battled it out for a top prize of $500 donated to the winning schools (with $30 going to each member of the winning team personally.)
It was a gruelling contest, some broke under the pressure, others sought help from onlookers only for their pleads to fall on deaf ears.
It was the Colosseum, and the gladiators were at it.
Helen Gillam did a great job of adjudicating the battle, and a crack team of judges did an exceptional job at checking scores at the end of each round.
It was tight, going into the final round with Clifton 2 and Nobby 1 only a couple of points apart.
In a tough final round, Nobby inched ahead to win first place, Clifton 2 came a close second, and Back Plains coming a very commendable third place.
Nobby went home with the $500 Landcare prize, Clifton with $200 and Back Plains with $100.
The brain battlers were all smiles after the final round.
Well done to all who competed, everyone who worked to put on the event, Clifton Landcare for supplying the winning prizes and all those who came to support the competitors.
