August 5, 2013
Cherbourg Council will be joining forces with the South Burnett to promote the second annual South Burnett On Show weekend in October.
South Burnett On Show is designed to capitalise on the tourism potential of the new October long weekend, and both the South Burnett Regional Council and the Cherbourg Aboriginal Council are coming on board with the concept.
It’s the first time since the 2008 council amalgamations that the two neighbouring councils have joined together to promote regional tourism.
At a planning meeting held in Murgon today, South Burnett On Show’s “north side” organising committee began laying out timetables for events that would be held at venues in Wondai, Proston, Murgon, Moffatdale and Cherbourg between October 4-7.
A parallel “south side” committee is doing the same for events which will be held between Blackbutt and Kingaroy over the same four days.
So far plans for the northern end include an art exhibition opening, a progressive dinner for 80 guests and a street party in Wondai; a major fishing competition at Yallakool with big prizes up for grabs; an indigenous arts, culture and food festival at Cherbourg; a special Heritage Day at Murgon’s Queensland Dairy Industry Museum complex; and a three-day “King Of The Mountain” 4WD challenge at Manar Tourist Park near Proston.
Other events also on the drawing board include a kup Murri under the stars on the foreshores of Bjelke-Petersen Dam; performances by popular local bands and food and wine-related events at local wineries.
Last year the Queensland State Government moved the Labor Day long weekend from May to October to provide a more even spread of public holidays throughout the year.
While the move provoked outrage from the union movement, the South Burnett Wine Industry Association saw an opportunity.
They thought that if the region moved quickly, the South Burnett had the chance to “claim” this new long weekend the same way the Heathcote wine region in Victoria has claimed the allegiance of Victorians with that State’s own Queen’s Birthday long weekend celebrations in June.
“The new October long weekend comes just before the end of the South Burnett’s peak tourism season,” SBWIA President Jason Kinsella said.
“It’s also the last long weekend before the Christmas-New Year break and comes at a time when many people really want to get away for a short holiday.
“So if we put on a big weekend full of many different events that tourists can enjoy, our whole region could do really well with this.”
The first South Burnett On Show was put together in 2012 and involved eight events at local cellar doors and Nanango’s Ringsfield House.
The concept has now found favour with the South Burnett Directions economic development committee and this year they’ve persuaded both the South Burnett and Cherbourg councils to lend their own weight to the promotion.
SBRC Economic Development Manager Phil Harding said the core idea behind South Burnett On Show was very simple.
Any South Burnett business that wants to put on any type of event between October 4-7 can have the event listed with South Burnett On Show for a nominal fee, which will be used for promotion.
The event will then listed in a regional calendar of South Burnett On Show activities which will be available in printed brochures as well as on the internet.
And because different tourists like different things, overlapping events won’t pose any problems.
“The main thing we want to offer visitors and locals alike is as much variety as possible. This will let them get to enjoy the parts of our region that most interest them,” Mr Harding said.
More detailed plans for the weekend will be released in coming weeks.
In the meantime, any venue or group that would like to become involved should call the Council’s Economic Development Office on (07) 4189-9100.
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