A Christmas Affair

“A Christmas Affair” will feature Fine Art, Craft, Collectables and Gourmet providing exhibitors and vendors the opportunity to showcase their works and products and to also give the community the opportunity to purchase those special Christmas Gifts. An Art Exhibition of exceptional fine art is proposed.

The evening of Friday 2 December will feature “Cocktails at 7” An evening of High Balls, High Heels and High Artwill  commence with Cocktail Hour 7 to 8 pm serving delicious drinks and  finger food, followed by the Official Exhibition Opening and an Auction of donated “Fine Pieces” from our Exhibiting Artists.  Entertainment and Shopping Opportunities until 10pm.

“Kids Art in the Park” as an additional feature is planned for Saturday morning 3 December – in the lovely park beside the Civic Centre. With lots of fun art and craft activities planned for the children, mum or dad can take it in turns to enjoy all the exhibition has to offer.  Your budding young artist will love it !!

“A Christmas Affair Cafe” will be open throughout the Exhibition serving fresh, home baked delights. Take the time to relax over a “real coffee” or Devonshire Tea. Choose lunch from an inviting menu or pre arrange a special Christmas Lunch or High Tea. Group bookings very welcome.

Melbourne Cup Camel Races & Luncheon

Are you looking for something fun and different to do on Melbourne Cup Day this year? Why not come camel racing? Go along to The Melbourne Cup Races with a difference at the Gympie Turf Club! 

The Melbourne Cup Camel Race Carnival is a charity day with all proceeds benefiting Little Haven Palliative Care. 

Enjoy trackside action from 11am. Tickets are $40 which includes your entry fee and a delicious two course luncheon. There will be plenty of entertainment including fashion parades, sweeps/calcutta, TAB, lots of laughs and of course the famous camel races.


Glam up and get swept up in Melbourne Cup Fever!

Fun day on the river

After its initial success last year, Les and Heather Hall are again, on 22nd October, opening up their beautiful riverside property Heatherview at Kybong to host fun day on the river event as the first part of the Mary River Festival.

Starting at 1pm, with a gold coin entry, the whole family can be kept entertained and occupied with activities which include swimming, canoeing, rock-skipping, games, food, live music, dancing, evening performances with a solar-powered laser show, bonfire and camping.

It is best if you can plan for a day and evening to make the most of the entertainment on offer. No need to think about dinner, with snacks available all day including wood fire pizza, sausage sandwiches, cakes tea and coffee. The barbeque will get going at approximately at 6pm, followed by music by the Tapper Girls and the Homestead Band.

It will be amazing to see the solar-powered laser show at 9pm as it lights up the banks of the Mary River and then sit around the campfire. Les is offering overnight camping for free where you can wake up to the sounds of the Mary River, and co-organizer Adrienne McVerry guarantees there will be a breakfast available in the morning.

Experience Rainbow Beach and Fraser Island

This Rainbow Sea Resort Special includes:

2 nights 1 Bedroom King Suite
Fraser Experience Day Tour for 2

Package Cost $740

Executive Suite and Penthouse Upgrades available for Surcharge.
Extra nights $200/night.

Call 1800 833 588 or visit our website.

Offer cannot be combined with any other offers.
Available to New/Direct Bookings Only.

Not Available during QLD School Holidays or Long Weekends.

Gympie Gold Rush Festival

Gympie's Gold Rush Festival is a eight day event held 5 - 15 October and celebrates the area's fascinating heritage whilst showcasing the diverse and colourful Cooloola region.

Gold Rush offers locals, tourists and visitors the opportunity to go back in history and pan for real gold in an authentic 1867 historical setting or find that once in a life time gemstone. Alternatively, you can relax on a balmy night on a blanket at the 'Symphony by the Lake'.

Gold Rush caters for all, with art shows, a street parade and a family party in the park.

Gold Rush offers tourists and visitors the experience of the warm hospitality of a country town, but with modern facilities and sophistication.

Mary Valley Scarecrow Festival

Yes folks! Its back by popular demand! All the fun of the Scarecrow Festival. And it is coming to your streets and paddocks from the 24th September right through October. Enter your scarecrow in either the “Traditional”, “Artistic”, or “Children” category.

This is a great opportunity to have some fun and dazzle our friends and visitors with our Aussie ingenuity. So how do you participate? Its simple, register your scarecrow in the local town of your choosing. Then make your scarecrow and have it in place where it can be easily seen from the road. Make sure its in place just before 24th September which is the official opening of Scarecrow Season. Don’t put it out too early, you want it to look its best for the judging which happens during the first week or two.

Each town that participates (Conondale, Kenilworth, Brooloo, Imbil, Kandanga,Amamoor, Dagunwill) have their own judges to choose the finalists that will represent them in each category at the Mary Valleyfinals. 

The top 3 entries in each category from each town will be entered into the Mary Valley Finals. The finals judging will happen on, or soon after, the weekend of October 2nd. We will have a couple of celebrity judges and the only criteria will be the “wow” factor. From a finalist point of view, we are not looking for the best construction, the most elaborate design or other such things. We just want to have some fun and crown the scarecrow that has the most “Wow, that’s an amazing scarecrow!”. Yes, its totally subjective. We’ll just let the judges worry about the reasons why they chose one over the other.

Just let your imagination flow!

Cooloola National Park Vehicle Access Permits

Vehicle permits are required to drive along the beach from north of the north head of the Noosa River to Middle Rocks south-east of Rainbow Beach, inland along the Freshwater track between Bymien and the beach, the Kings Bore Circuit track (locally known as Pettigrew Road and the eastern and western firebreaks) and the Leisha track.

Permits are NOT required to access Inskip Point or for the beach from Rainbow Beach township to Middle Rock, the Cooloola Way, the 4WD track to Poverty Point, and the 3km unsealed Freshwater track from Rainbow Beach road turnoff to Bymien picnic area. About 2.5 km of beach between the First Cutting and Third Cutting on southern Teewah Beach will be a vehicle-free area.

Domestic animals are excluded from the national park and most beaches within the Cooloola Recreation Area.

Vehicle Permits:

• One-day pass for $15 (or $10 online)
• 7 day pass $25
• Monthly pass $39.35
• Yearly pass $197.20.

Vehicle access permits are available 24 hours a day seven days a week online at www.qld.gov.au/camping or by phoning 13 74 68, or during business hours at DERM's head office at 400 George St Brisbane, Great Sandy Information Centre at Tewantin, QPWS Rainbow Beach office, the Shell Garage Rainbow Beach, Manta-Ray Barge Rainbow Beach, and Rainbow Beach IGA.