Harvey and the Humpbacks arrive in Queensland

Forget Bieber Fever - Catch the grandest spectacle of the year when front man Harvey and his band of 7000 humpbacks hit waters of Great Sandy Straits! From July to November, the band of whales is kept busy teaching their calves to breach, lob-tail, pectoral-slap and head-lunge and you can get front-row seats on any of the whale watching tours taking place every day. They might even give you a cheeky wink and a nudge.

Not only in town to perform to sell-out crowds, Harvey and the Humpbacks will be hard at work on a hit new song that will travel through migrating pods around the world. Researchers at The University of Queensland have found that male humpback whales ‘change their tune' every year during their migration across the Pacific. UQ PhD student Ellen Garland said, just like rock stars, no humpback wants to become irrelevant. “We believe the song is continually changing because the males wish to be novel or slightly different to the male singing next to them.” 

Like a chance meeting with your lifelong idol, a close encounter with the humpbacks is an intimate and humbling experience, and definitely one to tick off your bucket list.

Australian Body Art Carnivale 2011

The Australian Body Art Carnivale is Australia’s premier body art event, attracting artists and spectators from across Australia and overseas. 

The Australian Body Art Carnivale is held annually in Eumundi, the dates for 2011 are from Friday 13 May  to Sunday 15 May, 2011. This year will see the expansion of all elements of the festival and the theme is MAGIC, providing an absolute wealth of inspiration for artists.

The Carnivale will again be ‘A Festival of Colour’ centred around body art in its many and varied forms. For members of the public, it will be nothing short of phenomenal to watch the human canvases take shape during the competitions.  For artists it presents an opportunity to showcase their creativity, experience the amazing atmosphere of the Carnivale and compete for over $16,000 in cash and prizes.

There will be a feast of other entertainment including a gala launch with the Masked Gallery Art Walk,  competitions and exhibitions in pavement art, wearable art, vehicle art and photography. There will also be music, world-class street performers, workshops, a Saturday evening sunset street party, and a whole lot more.

Widgee’s Bushmans Carnival

Widgee’s Bushmans Carnivalis  held Labour Day Holiday first Monday in May. 

It will be held at the Widgee Showgrounds north-east of Kilkivan and it is a combined rodeo and campdraft. 

The Carnival features bull riding, roping, barrel races, a poddy calf ride, saddle broncs, a campdraft and Pony Club events and it's always a great family day out! 

There'll also be catering and a licensed bar operating in the grounds.

For more information visit www.widgeerodeo.egympie.com.au.

Cooloola Wilderness Trail

This trail in the Cooloola Section of the Great Sandy National Park offers walkers a wilderness experience of wildflowers, chattering birds, cool clear waterways and solitude. This is a harsh yet stunning coastal environment, where conditions vary greatly, from hot and dry summers to cool winters. Low-lying areas are usually wet all year round.

The northern end of the trail is at Mullens car park and the southern end is at Elanda Point. Both points can be accessed by conventional (two wheel drive) vehicles.

From Mullens car park to Harry's camping area the trail crosses the western catchment and Noosa Plain. Tall eucalypt and banksia forests on deep sandy soils give way to low wallum on shallow soils. From Harry's camping area to Elanda Point, the trail passes through remnant rainforest on the rich deep soils along Kin Kin Creek, and paperbark and cabbage palm wetlands on adjacent waterlogged plains.

For day walks, you can access the trail from the Cooloola Way or Harrys camping and day-use area. Cooloola Way and Harrys Hut Road are recommended for four-wheel-drive vehicles only and weather conditions may limit access.

For more information click here.

Artmix Sundaze Family Days

Looking for something to do on a Sunday afternoon with your family? 

Well get out in the fresh sea air and enjoy a free community concert featuring live bands at the Norman Point Park at Tin Can Bay.  Art Mix will be holding a series of family days on the 2nd Sunday of each month from January to June 2011. 

Enjoy a free community concert featuring live original bands from local region and interstate. Big and little kids will love the circus gazebo with more than 15 activities to discover and  practice.  

Noosa Festival of Surfing 2011

Now in its 20th year, the Noosa Festival of Surfing has grown to become the biggest surf festivals in the world attracting more than 600 competitors in 11 age divisions. There is something for everyone with single and tandem malibu boardriding, standup paddleboards and noserider trials.

When you need to take a break from the surfing action, make your way to the Festival Village in Noosa Lions Park (adjacent to Hastings Street). The Expo has free admission with the exhibition pavilion featuring some of the world’s most famous surfboards, on loan from private collectors.

Spectators are free to watch the board riding action at First Point, Noosa. 

There will be a range of entertainment throughout the week including themed movie nights, surfing memorabilia auctions and music concerts.

2011 Heart of Gold International Film Festival

Over 4 days in Autumn, the Heart of Gold International Film Festival combines the genuine warmth and hospitality of a country town with Local and International films that are entertaining, thought-provoking and express a positive view of the world and humanity.

Entering its fifth year, Heart of Gold is quickly gaining the recognition and size to establish itself among the best competitive short film festivals in Australia.

The Festival is in the regional Queensland city of Gympie,  just a  two hour drive north of Brisbane, along the Bruce Highway and an hour drive from the Rainbow Beach.

200 films from over 35 countries mean audiences can view a quality selection of some of the world’s most extraordinary films.