June 5, 2018
After a “trial run” last year, the new Wondai Country Festival will be graduating to the big time in a fortnight with a string of events planned across two days, culminating in a full 42.2km marathon along the South Burnett Rail Trail.
More than 140 runners have already registered to take part …
* * *
Saturday
The expanded festival – which includes the inaugural Wondai Country Running Festival – will kick off at 7:00am on Saturday, June 23, with a larger version of the monthly Wondai Markets in Coronation Park.
There’ll be market stalls and food stalls plus a full day of entertainment including live country music from the Stolzenberg Brothers, the Wondai Town & District Band, The Stepping Stones (Sue Bradley and Geoff Grevell), Free 2 Dance hip hop, Kingaroy SHS Dance Krew and vocal group, St John’s Lutheran School Whipcrackers, the CWA Choir and the Proston Line Dancers.
The Wide Bay Historic Machinery Club will have a display of vintage machinery and Simon Stretton, from the Durong Dingo Sanctuary, will bring along some of his animals.
There’ll also be face-painting, a jumping castle, pony rides and an animal nursery for the kids.
At 12:30pm, Cilla Slack and the KoalaRumba crew from “Blue Gum Farm TV” will perform their new, interactive, free show for children which depicts life in the bush.
For runners, the regular Saturday morning 5km Wondai parkrun along the Rail Trail will go ahead as usual at 7:00am.
This will be followed at 9:00am by a 2km Fun Run ($5 entry fee, registrations on the day) and at 2:30pm, by the 10km cross-country PCA Trail Run through the adjacent McEuan Forest (register online).
For cyclists, there will be a ride from Wondai to Murgon and back along the South Burnett Rail Trail (approximately 27km), organised by the South Burnett Mountain Bike Club, which will start in Coronation Park (gather at 10:00am).
The day will conclude at the Wondai RSL with the “Phil and Chris Coad Family Show”, an afternoon of country music.
This live concert will begin at 3:30pm, and tickets will be on sale at the door from 3:00pm ($20 adults, $10 schoolchildren, under 5s free – ticket cost includes afternoon tea).
After the show, dinner can be bought at the RSL from 6:00pm.
* * *
Sunday
The festival will conclude on Sunday (June 24) with three more runs along the South Burnett Rail Trail, all starting at 6:45am:
- 42.2km Ken Mills Automotive & Machinery Marathon (register online),
- 21.1km Bendigo Bank half-marathon (register online), and
- 10km PCA Rail Trail Run (register online)
There will also be another cycling event organised by the South Burnett Mountain Bike Club.
Riders will gather in Coronation Park at 9:00am for a ride exploring the forestry trails in McEuan Forest.
* * *
The Wondai Art Gallery will be running a colouring-in competition for children in conjunction with the Festival. Entries must be returned to the Gallery before June 23.
- Download the colouring-in form (2.75Mb PDF)
* * *
- Related article: Country Festival Off To A Great Start (2017)
