At dozens of primary schools and halls, tireless volunteers were turning snags and prepping egg and bacon rolls.

The secret was to keep the barbecue close to where the line to get in was - that way, everyone is tempted by the wafting smell of the sausages as they wait patiently for their ballot papers.

It's one of those things that only happen every three years, so schools and community groups were keen to make the most of it.

At Canadian Lead Primary School, principal Sue Knight said volunteers were raising money for some new outdoor furniture.

"Since COVID, the parents aren't inside, but they're still wanting to stand around and chat, plus for our staff, you can't really have 20 people inside enjoying sitting around with masks on so they've been going outside for lunch," she said.

"It's one of the unexpected bonuses of COVID, people are using our outdoor spaces more, so we're raising money to get some more seats for our outdoor areas."

Meanwhile, up at Black Hill Primary School, volunteers were fundraising for new shade shelters for their tennis court.

At Lucas Primary School, the aim was to raise enough through snag sales for new playground equipment, while in Buninyong, the grade 5s and 6s were on the tongs to raise money for their graduation party.

At Miners Rest, the proceeds from the sausages went to support the primary school and kindergarten, while at Ballarat Grammar in Wendouree, the snags were helping out their rowing club.

But what was the best one? Perhaps it's harder to pick that than who'll win the federal election itself tonight.

Check out our full election coverage right here.

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