Melbourne Cup Day

Today is the first Tuesday in November: Melbourne Cup Day. This is a gazetted public holiday in Victoria and an unofficial public holiday virtually everywhere else in Australia. While nearly all businesses in the South Burnett will attempt to trade as normal - and all government and public offices will be open for the daily grind - the majority of people will either be taking a bit of time out or abandoning any pretense of following a normal day's routine from about noon onwards. As usual, the South Burnett will be celebrating the occasion with a number of Melbourne Cup Day functions along with the Kumbia Race Club's annual Melbourne Cup Day Race Meeting (see entry immediately below) - a really great picnic race outing that's become something quite special to all of us over the years.

Melbourne Cup Day Race Meeting - Kumbia

The Kumbia Racing Club will be holding its 53rd Annual Melbourne Cup Day Race Meeting at the Kumbia racetrack from about 11:00am this morning through until late this afternoon. This very popular 5-card event is the only live Cup Day race meeting in the South Burnett and it always attracts a great crowd. As usual, there'll be a Fashions of the Field parade for men and women; Dash For Cash foot races; a bar, BBQ, and the Luncheon Hall in operation plus full Sky-TV race meeting coverage, a vigorous betting ring, and big screen coverage of that other race meeting in Melbourne. Admission is just $20 (or $15 if you book online) and a bus will be running from Kingaroy's Carrollee Hotel for people who've booked seats at the hotel beforehand. You can also get the form guide for today's fields on our website

Melbourne Cup Day Lunch - Murgon

St Joseph's Catholic Ladies will be holding a Melbourne Cup Day Lunch at the Royal Hotel at the corner of Lamb and Gore Streets in Murgon from 11:00am to 3:00pm today. In addition to a great lunch guests can enjoy Fashions Of The Field, Fascinators and Flowers competitions along with sweeps, raffles, a Lucky Door prize, entertainment and big screen coverage of the race. Tickets are $35 per head but numbers are limited. You can secure yours by phoning (07)4168-1799.

Melbourne Cup Day Lunch - Linville

The Linville Hotel in George Street, Linville will be running a Melbourne Cup Day Luncheon in the hotel's interior dining area and covered deck from around 12:00 noon today. The hotel will be serving up a special Cup Day menu and there'll be prizes for the best dressed patrons, sweepstakes and big screen coverage of the day's racing. Bookings are definitely advisable and you can secure seats by phoning the hotel on (07) 5424-7280.

Cup Day At The Carrollee - Kingaroy

The Carrollee Hotel in King Street, Kingaroy will be running a bus to the Kumbia Races at 11:00am today for patrons who booked a seat at the bar or by phoning the hotel on (07) 4162-1055. For those who didn't, the hotel will also be running an a-la-carte Melbourne Cup Day luncheon from 11:30am with full TAB facilities and big screen coverage of the races.

Melbourne Cup Day Lunch - Wondai

Wondai RSL's Citizens Auxiliary will be running a Melbourne Cup Day Lunch at the Diggers Club in Mackenzie Street, Wondai from 10:00am onwards today. The event will offer sweeps, a Lucky Door and raffles along with a fashion parade from Weeping Willow Boutique and Soul Moon Energies, concluding with a two course smorgasbord lunch before the big race. Tickets are $30 per head and they can be booked by phoning (07) 4168-5297.

Melbourne Cup Day Lunch - Blackbutt

The Radnor Hotel at the corner of Coulson and Hart Streets in Blackbutt will be holding a Melbourne Cup Day Lunch from 11:30am today. The get-together will offer guests the hotel's usual full menu or a special Seafood Platter For One ($49) along with sweeps, giveaways, prizes for the best dressed, an on-site TAB and big screen coverage of the races. However, places are limited so a booking is advisable. You can make one by phoning the hotel on (07) 4163-0203.

Melbourne Cup Day Lunch - Murgon

The Murgon Services Club in Lamb Street, Murgon will be running a Melbourne Cup Day Lunch from 11:00am today. Guests can enjoy a two course meal from a special Cup Day menu for $33 a head, along with sweeps, prizes for the best fascinator and best dressed, plus big screen coverage of the races. You can book a seat by phoning the club on (07) 4168-1819.

Melbourne Cup Day Lunch - Yarraman

The Royal Hotel in Toomey Street, Yarraman will be offering a Melbourne Cup Day Lunch from a special menu today, along with TAB facilities, sweeps and big screen coverage of the races. Everyone is welcome. More details? Phone the hotel on (07) 4163-8219.

Melbourne Cup Day Lunch - Nanango

The Nanango Services Club in Henry Street, Nanango will be offering a two-course Melbourne Cup Day Lunch from 11:00am today. For $35 per person, guests can choose from a seafood or steak main and a pannacotta or cheesecake dessert, but bookings are essential: (07) 4163-1375.

Melbourne Cup Day Lunch - Kingaroy

Kingaroy RSL in Markwell Street, Kingaroy will be offering a two-course Melbourne Cup Day Lunch from 11:30am today. For $35 per person, guests can choose from a seafood or chicken main and a crepe suzette or cheesecake dessert. There'll also be sweeps and a cocktail bar, along with prizes for best dressed. You can book a seat by phoning the club's reception on (07) 4162-1755.

Nanango Community Choir

The Nanango Community Choir will be meeting at the old Masonic Hall in Gipps Street, Nanango for their fortnightly practice session from 7:00pm to around 8:30pm this evening. The choir is fun and open to everyone, and its repertoire is very varied (everything from folk, jazz, pop and musical theatre numbers through to sea shanties) and they meet for rehearsals on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Tuesday of each month. More details? Phone Janet on 0429-797-791 or send her an email

Blackbutt Car Enthusiasts Club

The Blackbutt Car Enthusiasts Club will be holding its first Tuesday of the month meeting at the Blackbutt RSL at the corner of Muir and Douglas Streets, Blackbutt at 7:00pm tonight. The club is for motoring enthusiasts - any make, model and vintage are welcome - and in addition to sharing their love of motoring, members take part in monthly runs and attend other local events for Show & Shines. New members are always welcome! More details? Phone Chris on 0427-782-573 or Dave on 0499-258-881.

Yarraman Line Dancing

Weekly line dancing classes will be held the Community Hall in Browne Street, Yarraman from 6:30pm to 9:00pm this evening. Classes range from beginners to intermediate level, class fees are $5 and everyone is welcome. More details? Phone Jane on 0422-889-530.

Wondai Indoor Bowls

The Wondai Indoor Bowls club will be holding their fortnightly meeting at Wondai Town Hall in Mackenzie Street, Wondai from 7:30pm to 10:00pm this evening. The club meets on the first and third Tuesdays each moth and a cuppa and bikkies are just $3. New and former players are always welcome!

Tuesday Tai Chi - Kilkivan

A Tuesday Tai Chi class will be held at the Lions Park Rotunda in Bligh Street, Kilkivan at 10:00am this morning. Everyone is welcome. More details? Phone Errol on 0448-994-193.

Tuesday Line Dancing - Wooroolin

Line dancing classes will be held at Wooroolin Hall on the Bunya Highway at Wooroolin this morning. Classes will run from 9:00am to 10:00am (beginners) and 10:30am to 12:30pm (improvers) and a small dancing fee applies to either class. Everyone is welcome.

Maidenwell QCWA Meeting

The Maidenwell branch of the QCWA will be holding their monthly meeting at the Maidenwell Hall Supper Room from 9:30am this morning through until this afternoon. The branch meets on the first Tuesday of each month (except January) and all ladies in the Maidenwell and Bunya Mountains areas are very welcome to come along and meet the other branch members! You can get more details by phoning Sue on 0488-987-136

Proston Men's Shed

The Proston Men's Shed will be meeting at their workshop buildings at Railway Park in Rodney Street, Proston for their regular Tuesday get-together this morning, kicking off with a cuppa around 8:00am and continuing on until around noon. New members are always welcome! More details? Phone Geoff on 0439-694-000.

Tuesday Night Trivia - Kingaroy

Kingaroy RSL in Markwell Street will be holding a free Trivia Night from 6:30pm this evening. Everyone is welcome! More details? Phone the RSL on (07) 4162-1755

Murgon Cattle Sale

CANCELLED: Murgon's fortnightly cattle sale which was scheduled for today has been cancelled. The next sale will be held on November 21 from 8:00am.

Tuesday Croquet - Kingaroy

The Kingaroy Croquet Club will be playing croquet games at the Kingaroy Cricket Club in Youngman Street, Kingaroy (just next to Beangrowers) from 9:00am to around noon this morning. New members are always welcome and a $2 lesson is available if you'd like tuition in the basics (all equipment is supplied). More details? Phone (07) 4164-5574.

Tuesday Touch Footy - Blackbutt

Blackbutt's weekly touch footy competition for juniors and seniors will be played at Blackbutt's football oval in Railway Street tonight. Junior games will run at 5:30pm, followed by seniors over two fields at 6:30pm and 7:20pm. New teams are very welcome (seniors playing fees are $30 per team) and you can get more details by email

South Burnett Gem & Fossicking Club - Wondai

The South Burnett Gem and Fossicking Club will be holding their regular Wednesday meeting at their club's Wondai workshop in the old Wondai Railway Station at Coronation Park in the town's CBD from 5:30pm to around 8:00pm tonight. The club embraces all aspects of lapidary (including gem hunting and cutting) and meets every Monday and Thursday in Kingaroy, with Wednesday workshops in Wondai for faceting and silverwork. New members are always welcome. More details? Phone 0491-606-427

South Burnett Chorale - Kingaroy

The South Burnett Chorale will be holding their regular Tuesday practice night at the Church of Christ Hall at the corner of Haly and Burnett Streets in Kingaroy from 7:00pm to 9:00pm this evening. The Chorale meet every Tuesday night during school terms, and new members are always very welcome! More details? Phone Margie on 0424-924-632.

Kingaroy Men's Shed

The Kingaroy Men's Shed will be holding their regular Tuesday morning meeting at the old Motor Pool building off Geoff Raph Drive at Kingaroy Airport from 9:00am to around noon today. The group meet every Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday morning and new members and visitors are always welcome.

Blackbutt Singers - Yarraman

The Blackbutt Singers will holding their regular Tuesday morning practice session at the Yarraman Community Hall in Browne Street, Yarraman from 9:30am to around noon this morning. New members - male and female - are very welcome, and you should BYO morning tea. More details? Call Jocelyn on 0409-275-915 or send an email

Nanango Indoor Bowls

The Nanango Indoor Bowls Association will be holding their regular weekly indoor bowls matches at the Nanango Cultural Centre in George Street, Nanango from 12:45pm (for a 1:00pm start) to around 4:00pm this afternoon. Play will take the form of 3 games x 10 rounds and new players are always very welcome. Game fees are just $5 and include a lucky door ticket plus afternoon tea or coffee, More details? Phone Gary on 0487-853-617 or Keith on (07) 4163-1522

Tuesday Morning Card Games - Yarraman

Heritage House at 26 Millar Street in Yarraman will be hosting its weekly Tuesday morning 500 card games from 10:00am to around 1:00pm today, followed by a light lunch. Playing fees - which include lunch and a lucky door prize ticket - are just $6. Everyone is welcome! More details? Phone 0459-957-499.

Yarraman Indoor Bowls

The Yarraman Indoor Bowls group will be holding their weekly meeting at the Lutheran Church Hall in McDaniel Street, Yarraman at 9:00am this morning. New members are always welcome. More details? Phone Rod on 0400-523-330.

Blackbutt Darts Club

The Blackbutt Darts Club will be holding its weekly meeting at the Lions Den inside the Showgrounds in Bowman Road, Blackbutt at 5:30pm tonight. New members are always welcome.

Alcoholics Anonymous - Nanango

Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other to help solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for AA membership, nor is it allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organisation or institution. AA meets in Nanango every Tuesday from 1:30pm at the Catholic Church hall at the corner of Alfred and Gipps Street. For more information, phone 0427-289-990.

South Burnett Pantry - Kingaroy

The South Burnett Pantry will be open from 8:30am to 12:00 noon today at 1A (Lot 3) Railway Terrace in Kingaroy. The Pantry is a not-for-profit registered charity run by a Board of Management and staffed by volunteers, and it helps low income families, couples and singles stretch their shopping dollar further. The Pantry offers $40 pantry hampers that contain most of the food and personal cleaning items that most people need to get through part of the week (though you'll need to shop elsewhere for extras or special items). And anyone who's finding it hard to make ends meet is very welcome to make use of it. More details? Phone James on 0438-071-658. PS: If you'd like to help The Pantry in any way - either by volunteering or donating goods - please contact James about this too, or visit the website.