southburnett.com.au - What's On In The South Burnett

Boonara Homestead Sesquicentenary - Goomeri

Historic Boonara Homestead, 12km north of Goomeri, is celebrating its 150th birthday today with a series of fun-filled events and activities for the whole family. Morning and afternoon teas and a barbecue lunch will be available. A highlight will be an "Antiques Roadshow"-type event hosted by Gordon Brown from the popular ABC-TV show "Collectors" (pictured at right) ... so bring along your family treasures for appraisal and a valuation. It doesn't have to be an actual antique - it could be something from your childhood or maybe something more recent that's starting to become quite collectable (if you can't bring along the sideboard itself, bring a photo of it!). Soprano Ana Marina, who starred alongside Anthony Warlow in Phantom of the Opera, will also be performing. There's also a vintage fashion parade, wine tasting and sales by Clovely Estate, Scottish and Irish dancing, a tug-o-war and other old-fashioned games, vintage cars, tractors and machinery, arts and crafts, a pipe band, and tours of the homestead. To top it all off, the Nanango Theatre Company will be performing a skit about "The Wild Scotsman", bushranger James McPherson. For more information, visit the Boonara Homestead website

Wondai Country Markets & Wondai Hospital Auxiliary Annual Fete

The Wondai Regional Art Gallery's popular, getting-bigger-every-month Wondai Country Markets will be operating in Coronation Park in the Wondai CBD from 7:00am to 12:00 noon today. Today's markets will feature (amongst any other things) stallholders selling fresh fruit and vegetables, arts and crafts, useful knick-knacks and clothing. There'll also be live entertainment; lots and lots of other stalls selling great gifts and goodies; and the Wondai Kindergarten's BBQs firing up from 6:45am to dish out hearty breakfasts to early bargain hunters. New stallholders are always very welcome - stall fees range from $10 with power and water available if needed - and you can obtain more details by phoning the Gallery on (07) 4168-5926 or by emailing them Note: The annual Wondai Hospital Auxiliary Fete will be run in conjunction with today's markets in Coronation Park. The Auxiliary will have a tent at the markets jam-packed with homemade goodies, a white elephant stall and a monster raffle and there'll also be lots of local entertainment including the Wondai Town Band, the Pincott Family, the Wondai State School Band and Choir, the Proston Line Dancers and the Pipes and Drums. In addition, Wondai Kindy mothers will be doing face painting for the little ones; and the Community Nurses will have an information stall taking blood pressure and blood sugar tests. So if you only go to the Wondai Markets now and then, today's markets are the one you really shouldn't miss.

Goomeri Pumpkin Festival Dinner-Dance

The Goomeri Pumpkin Festival Committee will be holding their fully licensed annual Goomeri Pumpkin Festival Dinner Dance at the Hall of Memory in Goomeri's CBD this evening as the traditional curtain-raiser to tomorrow's 16th annual Goomeri Pumpkin Festival. Music will be supplied by Ricochet and prepaid bookings are absolutely essential for the dinner (5:30pm for 6:00pm) and the pumpkin-inspired dancing that follows it. During the evening attendees will have the opportunity to bid for a ride on a camel in tomorrow's Pumpkin Festival street parade while thousands of visitors line the streets to cheer you on, and all proceeds from the auction will go to a selected charity. Tickets are $35 per head and you can obtain more details and/or make a booking by phoning (07) 4168-1925 or on the Festival's website.

National Sorry Day

Today is National Sorry Day. This event has been commemorated every May 26 since 1998 to express regret over the historical mistreatment of Australia's Aboriginal peoples. The day was chosen in commemoration of the Bringing Them Home report, which was handed to the Australian Federal Government on May 26, 1997. A national apology to indigenous peoples was delivered by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd more than a decade later.

Pig On A Spit Night - Maidenwell

Maidenwell's historic Maidenwell Hotel will be holding another of their popular monthly Pig On A Spit evenings from 6:00pm until late tonight tonight (dinner is served from 6:00pm to 8:00pm). There'll be live entertainment and lots of cold beer, as well as more pork than you can poke a stick at. The hotel's Pig On A Spit nights are held on the last Saturday of every month and they're always a lot of fun! The cost is only $12.50 for adults and $6.50 for children. More information? Phone the pub on (07) 4164-6133.

Bruzz - Kingaroy

Popular South Burnett duo Bruzz will be performing at the Kingaroy RSL in Kingaroy Street, Kingaroy from 7:30pm to 11:30pm this evening. Admission is free. More details? Phone the RSL on (07) 4162-1755

Fun Run and Walkathon - Proston

Here's a different way to start the day! The Proston State School will be holding a combined Fun Run & Walkathon this morning as a fundraiser for the school. There'll be four different courses (21km, 10km, 1km and 500m - the last two for young children or anyone whose fitness is a little sub-par) and the 21km course will get underway at 6:30am; the 10km course at 8:15am; the 1km course at 8:50am; and the 500m course at 9:15am (though everyone is asked to come 30 minutes before their chosen course's starting time for registrations). There'll be water points along the courses and at the end, all participants will get to chow down on a great free breakfast as well! Course fees are just $10 for adults or $15 for a family, and there'll be 1st and 2nd prizes for each course. Everyone is welcome! More details? Phone Barb on (0408) 689-165.

Irish Dinner - Goomeri

If you missed out on tickets to the Goomeri Pumpkin Festival Dinner Dance (see entry further above) but still want to get into the Pumpkin Festival spirit, the Goomeri Show Society will be holding an Irish Dinner at the Goomeri Showgrounds at 6:00pm tonight. Popular performer Bruce McGilvery will be providing live entertainment from 4:30pm until late and a licensed bar will be operating as well. Authentic Irish cooks will be offering soup ($7.00) a choice of $10.00 mains and $5.00 desserts, and tea and coffee will be available too. Admission is $4.00 to help cover the entertainment but there's no need to book. More details? Phone (07) 4168-4177.

What's On At The Wineries This Weekend

The South Burnett's wineries and cellar doors will all be open this weekend if you want to relax in their cafes and/or taste their wines. The South Burnett is now the largest wine region in Queensland and (excluding the Granite Belt) larger than all the State's other wine regions put together. You can find out what our wineries' opening hours are this weekend, the individual facilities that each one offers and news about any special events they might also be running on South Burnett Wine

Dance - Booie Hall

A dance will be held at Booie Hall from 8:00pm until late this evening. Music will be supplied by Technic Tones and there'll be the usual great supper, novelties and lucky door prize. Admission is $10 for adults or $5 for high school students and everyone is welcome! More details? Phone Elva on (07) 4162-4700

Bowls Club Bingo - Kingaroy

The Kingaroy Bowling Club at 141 Youngman St, Kingaroy will be running bingo matches from 7:30pm this evening with over $1000 in prizes on offer. More details from the club on (07) 4162-1404

Kingaroy Lions Trail Ride - Alice Creek

The Kingaroy Lions 2012 Trail Ride will be held at Clarke Road in Alice Creek all this weekend, starting at 8:30am this morning and continuing until around 5:00pm tomorrow afternoon. The event is a non-competitive trail ride open to all classes of bikes (except for quad bikes) and - since it's held on private property - registered or unregistered ones. Apart from a variety of tracks, there'll be a canteen and hot food available from Saturday lunch through to Sunday breakfast; and free on-site camping with showers and toilets available. Pre-paid entry fees are $50 $20 for an MA licence for seniors 16 years and upwards; $40 $20 for an MA licence for juniors; and free plus $20 for an MA licence for pee wees. All entry fees include free lunch and drink on Sunday. You can obtain more details and entry forms on the DalbyMoto.com.au website.

South Burnett Soccer

The 6th round of the Evolution Solar Soccer League will be played out in Kingaroy and Nanango today. In Nanango, the 2nd division Nanango team will take on Barambah at the Nanango Soccer Grounds at 12:45pm. This will be followed by the women's division where Nanango will clash with Barambah at 2:00pm; and then the 1st division match between Nanango and Barambah at 3:15pm. Meanwhile in Kingaroy, 2nd division Kingaroy Gunners will play Wests at Tom Alford Oval in Oliver Bond Street at 2:00pm. This will be followed by a clash between the Gunnettes and Wests in the women's division at 3:15pm, and then the first grade game between Gunners and Wests at 5:00pm. Meanwhile, this weekend's junior matches will be played at the Nanango Soccer Grounds. Games will commence at 8:30am this morning for all junior divisions and continue on into the afternoon. Spectators and supporters are most welcome!

South Burnett Rugby League

The 6th Round of the South Burnett Premier League will be played this weekend at Blackbutt, Kingaroy and Murgon. In Kingaroy, the Kingaroy Red Ants will take on the Cherbourg Hornets (and Blackbutt Timbertowners in the juniors) at T.J. O'Neill Oval in Youngman Street (U6s at 10:00am on the training field; U10s at 10:30am on the main field; then U8s at 11:30am on the training field). This will be followed on the main field with the U12s at 12:00 noon; U14s at 1:00pm; U16s at 2:00pm; and then the A-grade match of the day between the Red Ants and Hornets at 3:00pm (which should be a beauty). In Murgon, the Murgon Mustangs will be playing the Wondai Wolves at Murgon Sportsground. And in Blackbutt, the Timbertowners will take on the Nanango Stags at the Blackbutt Sportsground Spectators and supporters are very welcome!