LATROBE Mayor Mike Gaffney showed off his ferret racing skills at yesterday's Henley on Mersey Australia Day Festival.

His ferret Hussein Bolt, aka Toenipper, came in first with Australia Day ambassador Sarah Fitz-Gerald's ferret in third place for the celebrity race.

Fitz-Gerald - a world open champion and Commonwealth Games gold medallist in squash - spent the day in the sun at Bells Parade for the celebration.

It was a scorcher of a day and the activities seemed endless, from gumboot throwing competitions to helicopter rides.

It was the 101st staging of the event, which was co-ordinated by the Henley on Mersey management committee - a collaboration of the Latrobe Rotary and Lions clubs and the Latrobe Council.

Activities included whip cracking, egg throwing, sheaf tossing, spud picking and busking competitions, the Betta Boat race, ferret racing, archery, track and field events, croquet, woodchopping, pony rides, historic machinery displays, art and market stalls.

The ferret racing has been a highlight at the Australia Day event and there were 25 ferrets entered in the competition yesterday.

``People come from all over the state, including Hobart,'' organiser Brendan Bond said.