Showing posts with label beach. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beach. Show all posts

Friday, February 15, 2013

Upcoming Events!


Chinchilla Melon Festival
14 - 17 February 2013


Known as the ‘Melon Capital’ of Australia, Chinchilla produces a quarter of Australia’s melons and celebrates the fact biennially in February. Join with the locals for some hilarious fun and festivities as events, such as melon skiing, melon iron man, melon bungee, melon bullseye, pip spitting and melon tossing, get into full throw.
There’s back-to-back entertainment for the whole family with markets, a street parade, arts and crafts, a poets' breakfast, luncheons, free concerts, and loads more over the week.  So pull on some old clothes and take to the streets of Chinchilla, that are awash with melon mayhem. But be warned: you might end up in a very sticky situation!
Some of the excitement to look forward to includes:

Chinchilla is a 3.5 hour drive from Brisbane City.  Why not make a weekend of it - accommodation is available for all tastes and budgets.

Visit the website for further information.

Australia Day II Celebrations - Burrum Heads Bowls Club
Burrum Heads, Burrum Coast

16 February 2013

The Burrum Heads Bowls Club invite you to come along and celebrate Australia Day II. All are welcome to join in the activities including an Aussie barbecue, novelty lawn bowls activities, thong throwing competition, sack rack, cockroach race and an award for the best Australia Day novelty hat.

Trevor Judge will be performing from 3.30 p.m. on the veranda.




Burrum Heads Bowls Club

Address:
189 Burrum Heads Road
Burrum Heads, Burrum Coast
Queensland Australia 4659









Australian Sand Sculpting Championships

Australian Sand Sculpting Championships, Gold Coast, 15 February 2013 – 24 February 2013




Presented by Streets Ice Cream
We invite you to witness Australia's best sand sculptors in action as they compete in the 2nd annual Australian Sand Sculpting Championships.
Surfers Paradise Beach will be transformed into a golden gallery of the curious and the beautiful during The Australian Sand Sculpting Championships, an annual event in Surfers Paradise.
Over the first Friday, Saturday & Sunday of competition, 9 professional sculptors will mould & carve over 70 tonnes of sand into fantastic, crowd pleasing works of art, as they deliver their interpretation of this years 'Sand Safari' theme.
See Surfers Paradise as never before, as lions, elephants, zebra and hippos take shape along the iconic Foreshore.
Play your part in the competition, with children's activities throughout the week, including sand sculpting workshops, sand art and sand bottle making.
And don't miss the main attraction; a 60 tonne collaborative work between all sculptors, and the centerpiece of the Championships.
The 2013 Australian Sand Sculpting Championships will take place from Friday 15 to Sunday 24 February on the Surfers Paradise Beach.

Mt Morgan Kayak Adventure Day

Mt Morgan Kayak Adventure Day, Mount Morgan, 17 February 2013
Located 2km from the centre of town - when coming from north turn left off the main (Burnett) highway (prior to Carmody Bridge) and follow along the Dee River.
Kayaks both adults and kids, BBQ, entertainment, snow cones and fairy floss.
Tickets available from Mt Morgan News at 45 Morgan Street, Mount Morgan, QLD.
For more information please email: mtmorgannews@bigpond.com
Tickets: Kayak Hire.
$25:00 plus $2:50 booking fee.
Adult Kayak 1 Hr Hire, $25:00 plus b/f
Kids Kayak 1 Hr Hire, $20:00 plus b/f
Check out the website for more information.

Brisbane Coin, Banknote and Stamp Fair

Brisbane Coin, Banknote and Stamp Fair, Brisbane, 17 February 2013
The next show Brisbane Coin Fair will be held on February 17th 2013 at The Colossus Reception Centre, South Brisbane. Open to the public from 9.00am to 3.00pm.
Admission $2 per adult. Children accompanied by an adult are free.
The show is an excellent opportunity to meet the dealers and update your collection with a bargain or two as well as network with other collectors.
Local and interstate dealers buying and selling.
Please note the changed venue.
For further information visit our website or email admin@brisbanecoinfairs or phone 073216 8711.

Go forth and enjoy!

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Wednesday, February 06, 2013

Fraser Island

Early January while on holidays, I decided to take my son and myself for a long drive up the north coast of Queensland to Hervey Bay.

It was a very easy and pleasant 4 hour drive via the Bruce Highway to the idyllic seaside settlement of Hervey Bay.

The previous night I booked 4.5 * accommodation at the Ramada Hervey Bay right on the Esplanade through my trusty travel partner - lastminute.com.au.  I have now used this last minute accommodation booking service twice and I have to admit that both times I was very pleasantly surprised at the quality and price of the accommodation.



Possibly the only gripe my 11-year-old son had about the hotel was the lack of in-room WI-FI service.  During our first night at the hotel, they were also experiencing technical difficulties with their in-room cable TV and therefore we were only able to watch commercial channels and not pay-per-view (which my budget is thankful for anyway!).

The next day we ventured out to the beautiful Fraser Island and embarked on a guided group tour of this magnificent sand island.  Our tour was through Fraser Explorer Day Tours.  The day included courtesy pick up from your hotel in Hervey Bay, ferry across to Fraser Island, air-conditioned coach travel while on Fraser Island, buffet lunch and expert commentary about the island.

This tour was awesome and the lunch at the resort was delicious.  We also got to meet some very nice tourists from overseas and chatted while we ate.

The only disappointment during this tour was that we couldn't use the Resort swimming pool to cool off after walking on the scorching hot sand.

I've included further information about Fraser Island below, including some facts, historical information about the island and some do's and don'ts.

I would highly recommend a visit to Fraser Island, whether self-guided or fully-guided, it is a trip worth taking at least once in your life!


Fraser Island is situated just off the south Queensland coast opposite Hervey Bay. The island is about 120 kilometres long and between 5 and 25 kilometres wide.

Dozens of lakes, rainforest and huge sandblows cover vast parts of the island. People who visit Fraser Island for the first time often struggle to find the words to describe the beauty of this magical island. But also animal life, especially the 230 species of birds, Australia's purest dingo's and many other species contribute to the unique island environment.

Aboriginals of the Butchulla tribe have been living on Fraser Island for the last 5000 years. And because the abundance of food supplied by the sea, the lakes and the forest the number of inhabitants was quite high. 160 years ago about 2000 Aboriginals were living on the island. That changed dramatically when the island became an immigration- and quarantine post for ships that brought people and equipment for the gold fields in the area. forty years later there were only 150 tribe members left. These were taken off the island to reserves on the mainland.

Fraser Island was named after the British ship captain and his wife who were stranded on the island in 1836. The captain perished here but was survived by his wife who returned to England to tell their story. Prior to this time, the island was known as K'gari by the native inhabitants, the Butchulla people.



Not long after the island was discovered by the white settlers, so too were the beautiful rainforests and Fraser Island soon became a thriving logging community. Logging continued on the island until the late 1980's and as of December 1992 Fraser Island has been World Heritage Listed to preserve the unique environment.


As well as its beautiful rainforests, Fraser Island is also noted for its surrounding treacherous waters. The ferocity of these waters is evident in the magnificent shipwrecks that line the shores of the island. The most popular of these is the Maheno which was beached here in 1935 and has become as much a part of the island as the natural land formations.


The following information is from the Fraser Island - Queensland Bookings website.

Must Know



What to bring


Swimsuit, walking shoes, towel, sunscreen and camera

Important

Dingoes

Please keep your distance from the wild dingos and please do not feed them as they can be unpredictable and dangerous.


Camping


You will need a camping permit if camping on Fraser Island.

Your camping booking number is to be written on a camping tag and clearly displayed on the camping structure.

Please leave the area where you stop or stay tidy and exactly how you found it so that everyone can enjoy Fraser Islands natural beauty.

Camp fires may only be lit in communal fire rings provided.

Visitors are encouraged to bring and use their own fuel or gas camping stoves to help Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) in its attempts to reduce the high numbers of burn injuries related to open campfires. The policy on open campfires also aims to reduce the risk of wildfires caused by campfires and helps create a clean-air camping experience on Fraser Island.

Campers who want a campfire in the communal fire rings provided, must bring their own firewood. However it must be untreated, milled timber (e.g. mill off-cuts), not bush timber, as this reduces the risk of introducing foreign pathogens and other pests into the park. Visitors are reminded that all flora in protected areas, including dead trees or fallen limbs, is protected by law and therefore cannot be cut or collected.


Vehicles


You will need a vehicle access permit to drive a 4wd on Fraser Island.

All vehicles brought onto Fraser Island must have a current vehicle service permit (VSP).
The VSP booking number is to be written on a VSP tag and affixed to the windscreen of your vehicle.

Practice safe driving through the various sand tracks and do not exceed 80 km/h on the beach stretch.

You will only be able to drive 2WD vehicles around Kingfisher Bay Resort. All other parts of Fraser Island are only accessible with a 4WD vehicle.

Check your vehicle making sure it is in good working order and take spare parts eg. radiator hoses, spare wheels. Bring vehicle retrieving equipment in the case of your vehicle becoming stuck in the sand.

Other


The Island is far too large to see by foot.


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Friday, November 30, 2012

Queensland Weekend Events

So much crap's been happening this week - I forgot to post my regular upcoming events for this weekend.

On short notice - here are some fun things to do this weekend.


Christmas by the Sea

01 - 02 December 2012Christmas by the Sea is proudly brought to you by ""Scarborough Lights Up Redcliffe"" and the Moreton Bay Regional Council. Join the festivities as they celebrate Christmas and community spirit at the Scarborough Beach Parklands on Landsborough Avenue in Scarborough. Enjoy the annual street parade, markets, rides, animal farm, children's activities, fireworks and more. The Christmas concert kicks off at 6pm with performances by the talented Redcliffe community, leading into the finale with international sensation 'La Forza'.

Scarborough Beach Park

Landsborough Avenue
Scarborough, Moreton Bay And Islands
Queensland Australia 4020




Carols at the Cove

02 December 2012
Bring your family, friends, chairs and a rug and join them on the Village Green for an evening of Christmas carols, song and celebration.

Hosted by Channel 9 personalities, Paul Burt and Libby Stone, and featuring festive performances by the Les Wilson Swing Force Big Band, Australian Girls' Choir, local young talent and guest artists, the evening will conclude with a dazzling fireworks display.
Access is from 4.30 p.m. space is limited so entry will be offered on a ""first come, first served"" basis.
Brought to you by Mulpha Sanctuary Cove and supported by Gold Coast City Councillor, Cameron Caldwell, this is a free community event.

The Marine Village, Sanctuary Cove

1 Masthead WaySanctuary CoveQueensland Australia 4212

Visit their website for further information.

Cameron Park Markets


Cameron Park, Cnr Glebe Road and Easton Street,  BOOVAL, Ipswich & West Moreton
Saturday, 8 December 2012, 5am - 1pm

New and second hand goods, homemade cakes, handmade items and many others, including a Farmers Market.  Sausage Sizzle, soft drinks and coffee and cake available on site.  All welcome.




Animal Farm Open Day
828 Ipswich-Rosewood Rd, Rosewood, Amberley

Sunday, 9 December 2012 10am-4pm
Entry: $10

Bring the kids to a real working farm where they can run around and just be kids. Pat a pig, bottle feed a lamb, hand feed a cow and collect eggs from under a hen. You might even see a chicken hatch. The kids can play on our hay bale slide, tyre swing and huge 14 foot trampoline. Maybe sitting on the tractor is more their style, ride a pony or even just sit quietly under a tree and see shapes in the clouds. The open day is run in two sessions 10-12 and 2-4 pm to give the animals a break and chance to catch a quick nap before meeting new friends.



The 7th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art

8 December 2012 —  14 April 2013 | Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) and Queensland Art Gallery (QAG) | Free admission | Exclusive to Brisbane

The 7th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT7) marks the twentieth anniversary of the APT series.
APT7 will feature new and recent work by over 140 artists from 25 countries across the region, including new works by artists from across Papua New Guinea; new painting, installation, sculpture and photography by Indigenous Australian artists; works by young generations of artists from Indonesia and Vietnam; and a special focus on West Asia, including works by artists from Turkey through the Middle East to Iran and Central Asia. Participating artists will be announced progressively in the lead up to the exhibition.
Visit their website for further information.


There is not a lot happening now that the year is winding up.  There are a lot of Christmas events coming up.  If there are any events you'd like to advertise here, let me know.





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Monday, November 05, 2012

Upcoming events in Queensland

I had an idea last night, rather early this morning, that I would introduce a regular post of upcoming events here at the beginning of every week.  Initially, because I'm from Queensland, I will only write about events happening in Queensland.

Below is a brief sampler.  I'm going to keep them short and sweet, because 1) I don't have a lot of time for research and 2) I don't want to bore everyone to tears.

If anyone has any other interesting suggestions, please send me an email with the details and if I think it's a worthy event I will post it on here.

This should keep everyone busy during the week!

Brisbane's Melbourne Cup Race Day, Brisbane, 6 November 2012



When: Tuesday, 6 November 2012
Where: Doomben Racecourse, 75 Hampden Street, Ascot      
Restrictions: R18
Ticket Information:
  • General Admission: $27.00
  • Buy Tickets– (07) 3268 2171                                             
  • Booking fees may apply
Website:

The information below is sourced from the Events Queensland website.

Pan Pacific Masters Games

The 8th Pan Pacific Masters Games is currently on up until 11 November 2012 on the magnificent Gold Coast.
An anticipated 10,000 participants from all over the world will compete in the multi-sport event which has stamped itself on the calendar at the beginning of November every two years.
In 2012, more than 30 sports are on the program. No qualifying standards or times are required to enter the Pan Pacific Masters Games. The only criterion is that participants meet the minimum age requirement for their respective sport, which for the majority is 30 years of age.
Participants compete in their age group ensuring that the sport is played fairly, competitively and in tremendous spirit.
For more information visit www.mastersgames.com.au

Mary River Festival

All paths will lead to Kandanga on Saturday November 10 for this year’s Mary River Festival.
Described as “the friendliest festival you’ll find”, “a truly magical day” and “something very special” the Mary River Festival provides a full day of music and entertainment along with a film tent, a local history tent, recycled instruments, heaps of information tents and stalls, an acoustic jam tent and the anticipated highlight of the “Sounds of Mary” performance and light show early in the evening.
So much fun and excitement for everyone along with stacks of children's activities and the opportunity to be involved in the twilight performance.

Queensland Beach Volleyball Tour - Round 3

The state’s top beach volleyball talent will scorch the sands of Surfers Paradise at the Queensland Beach Volleyball Tour, a traditional proving ground for the sport’s future champions.

With most rounds held at the Surfers Paradise beach volleyball amphitheatre on the Gold Coast, spectators will be up tight and close to some seriously physical summer competition.

As well as watching the elites put on a show, onlookers can also jump into the action in one of the competition’s other divisions; there’s a good game at each round for players of all levels.

2012/13 season rounds:
•    Round 2: Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 October, 2012
•    Round 3: Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 November, 2012
•    Round 4: Saturday 1 December, 2012
•    Queensland Open: Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 January, 2013
•    Finals: Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 March, 2013

The Sprung Festival


The Sprung Festival is happening this weekend, 10 November, at the RNA Showgrounds in Brisbane.  The Festival has is featuring an impressive line-up of artists including The Hilltop Hoods and Seth Sentry to name a few.  The event starts at 10.30am.


Tickets start from only $77.00.

Check out their website for full details.



The Handmade Expo - Market




The Handmade Expo is Ipswich's largest handmade market. With up to 100 stalls of handmade, handbaked, handgrown and handpicked, you are bound to find something fabulously unique.
You can also find a large array of lunch time options plus the Coffee Club Coffee Van onsite for your coffee/tea needs.
What about free activities for the kiddies - and for a discounted and small fee, you can jump on the Swanbank Steam Train Ride throughout the day.
This market is large, full of amazing atmosphere with music and the buzz of the crowd and is for all members of the family with something for everyone.
The greatest thing of all is that you will be purchasing from the maker themselves, supporting handmade in the best way that we all know how.

When:

Where:The Ipswich Turf Club, Brisbane Road, Bundamba, Ipswich, Ipswich & West Moreton

Restrictions:All Ages

Ticket Information:

  • Admission: Free

Website: