International and interstate riders joined locals at the school on Friday to show off their wheels and treat children to a lap on the bikes.

“The students learn about different sizes of the penny farthings because they’re made to fit the riders. They can ask questions and learn things like, ‘why are there no brakes?’,” principal Di Guilbert said. “They also get to meet competitors from different nationalities, which is always good.”

The National Penny Farthing Championships will be held on Saturday and Sunday, with a number of competitors from Victoria and NSW, as well as a competitor from Singapore and another from New Zealand, and, of course, local Tasmanians.

Evandale Village Fair committee member Di Sullivan said the forecast of rain for the weekend was a “bit of a worry”. “It’s too dangerous to race in the rain, so we might have to skip a few races, or wait in between showers.”