More than 4,000 people have turned out to stoke the coals at the Australian Camp Oven Cooking Championships in southern Queensland.

Grey Nomads, locals and weekend warriors from all over the country have inundated the small town of Millmerran, on the western fringe of the Darling Downs, for the festival of all things Australiana.

Rev-heads relished in the tractor pulling competition on Saturday afternoon and strong men and women alike took part in the damper throwing national championships.

New Zealander Ralph Barnett stirred up cross-Tasman relationships when he took out the men's division of the damper throwing, tossing his hard baked bread 29.8 metres.

Mr Barnett, who used a discus-throwing technique, says the secret to damper throwing was sorting the good damper from the bad.

"Picking what has the best trajectory bake," he said.

He claims the event, which took place in sweltering conditions on in a dry paddock behind the Millmerran showgrounds pavilion, is mind over matter.

"I was inspired by the London 2012 Olympics," he said.

A man throws bread during the national damper throwing championships ( ABC News: Brigid Andersen )

Runner-up Adam Birch said conditions let him down in the end.

"It was tough out there. It was hot," he said.

The billy boiling competition got off to a slow start, with the judge commenting that some of the contestants looked more like they were trying to "warm the wood" rather than boil the billy.

But cups of tea were eventually available – although anyone brave enough to ask for a weak cup of chamomile would have got a rude shock. The tea here comes in one variety – black and strong.

The sweltering conditions also did not stop more than 20 teams slaving over the coals to produce meals the toughest food critic would be proud of.

Lamb madras, beef stew, corned beef and damper are all on the menu for Saturday night.

The King of the Coals will be announced on Sunday.