January 24, 2020
There’s nothing more Australian than a long weekend … and we’re all getting an extra one this year because January 26 falls on Sunday, pushing the Australia Day public holiday to Monday.
As usual, the South Burnett will be spending the weekend in a variety of ways.
Following recent tradition, the official South Burnett Regional Council Australia Day awards ceremony will be held on the eve of January 26.
This annual event rotates between towns. This year it will be held from 6:00pm on Saturday at Kingaroy Town Hall.
Everyone’s invited to salute the people in our local communities who have achieved so much.
South Burnett Australia Day Ambassador Emeritus Professor Ken Donald AO – who gave up a career in rugby union to become a celebrated doctor and academic – will be the special guest speaker.
Some of Sunday’s events will be official occasions supported by the South Burnett Regional Council, while others are “unofficial” community events put on by local groups and businesses.
For more information about any of these, visit our Daily Calendar.
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What’s Happening Around The Region on Sunday
Official Celebrations
These South Burnett Regional Council-sponsored community events include everything from dog-jumping to pie-eating competitions, check out our Daily Calendar for more information!
- Blackbutt – from 8:00am at Blackbutt Memorial Hall
- Boondooma – from 5:00pm at Boondooma Homestead
- Kingaroy – from 7:00am at Kingaroy Showgrounds
- Kumbia – from 5:00pm at Kumbia Memorial Hall
- Murgon – from 7:00am at the Queensland Dairy & Heritage Museum
- Nanango – from 7:00am at Nanango Showgrounds
- Wondai – from 7:00am at Wondai Memorial Hall
Other Places To Have Fun
- Community Breakfast – Hivesville
Hivesville will be celebrating Australia Day with a community barbecue breakfast at Anzac Park (opposite the Hivesville Hotel). The breakfast is being hosted by the Hivesville Progress Association and will get underway about 7:00am.
- Long Weekend – Kilkivan
The Kilkivan Bush Camping and Caravan Park will be hosting the third day of their Australia Day Weeken, kicking off with an Aussie Olympics featuring traditional Aussie sports such as thong tossing and will also include a colour run. This will be followed by a pool party featuring a giant slide, and then a sausage sizzle lunch. The Red Betty Band will be performing in the evening until late. Phone (07) 5484-1340.
- Prawn On The Lawn – Moffatdale
Dusty Hill will be celebrating Australia Day with Prawn On The Lawn from 4:00pm until midnight. Prawn On The Lawn features fresh King Prawns from Stradbroke Island, live music from several bands and an all-you-can-eat buffet of prawns, sauces, Goomeri Bakery breads, canapes and sliders from 5:00pm to 8:00pm. Tickets – which include free overnight camping – are $87.41 per head and must be booked online
- Afternoon Tea – Proston
The Proston Scouts will be hosting a free Australia Day afternoon tea with tea, coffee, damper and lamingtons at the troop’s den in Rodney Street, Proston from 2:00pm to around 4:00pm. Cold drinks will be on sale and there’ll also be a family friendly cricket game. Everyone is welcome!
- Buffet – Wondai
Dimities Cottage will be hosting an Australia Day Buffet Lunch from noon to 2:00pm. For $20 per adult ($10 for children) guests at this BYO event can get to enjoy an all-you-can-eat smorgasbord, but bookings are essential: (07) 4168-5744.
Around The Pubs
- Cooyar Hotel
The Cooyar Hotel will be celebrating Australia Day from 3:00pm until late with fun games and music. During the afternoon guests can take part in thong tossing and a tug-o-war, or enjoy the thrills and spills of cane toad races and yabby races while children amuse themselves on a jumping castle. The hotel’s Outback Bar will fire up the barbecues at 6:00pm for a dinki-di dinner, and Ripcord will take to the stage at 6:30pm to deliver live music until late. There’s also free camping nearby if you want to stay over. More details? Phone the hotel on (07) 4692-6185.
- Carrollee – Kingaroy
The Carrollee Hotel will have live music in the beer garden from noon with popular local duo Tucker & Chop; children’s face painting from 11:30am to 1:00pm; children’s green and gold hair braiding from noon to 2:00pm; and pie and Vegemite eating contests from 2:00pm to 2:45pm. There’ll also be a jumping castle for children running from noon to 3:00pm. Everyone is welcome and there’s no admission. Phone the hotel on (07) 4162-1055.
- Com.Pub, Kingaroy
The Commercial Hotel will be marking Australia Day with an Aussie style long lunch – a running buffet with a choice of salads and favourites from the grill – from about around 11:00am to 3:00pm in the covered beer garden. You can book a table to be sure of a seat by phoning the hotel on (07) 4162-1380.
- Maidenwell Hotel
The Maidenwell Hotel will be hosting an Australia Day barbecue from noon today featuring hot food, cold beer and lots of games and prizes. Everyone is welcome! Phone the hotel on (07) 4164-6133.
- The Royal, Murgon
The Royal Hotel will be celebrating Australia Day with entertainment by popular local performer Clowry Kennell from noon, along with toad races. Phone the hotel on (07) 4168-1799.
- The Fitzroy, Nanango
The Fitzroy Hotel will have a range dinki-di activities including a “Best Mullet” competition; “Best Dress” competition; plus pie-eating, thong throwing and toad races. There’ll also be a mechanical bucking bull; jumping castle, face painting and fairy floss for children; live music from Amber Goldsmith; a sausage sizzle fundraiser for the South Nanango Rural Fire Brigade; plus Australia Day food and snack. Doors open at 10:00am and the fun will continue until late. Phone the hotel on (07) 4163-1506.
- The Palace, Nanango
The Palace Hotel and Kitchen will be holding an Australia Day Fun Day with a “Builders, Bogans & Shazzas” theme from noon until late. The get-together is a fundraiser for firies and will feature a jumping castle for children, a barbecue lunch and snacks, live music from Matt Schlam and lots of games and activities. Everyone’s welcome and there’s no admission fee. Phone Beau at the hotel on (07) 4163-1287.
- Golden Spurs, Proston
The Golden Spurs Hotel will have with live music from Full Sircle between noon and 4:00pm, followed by the South Burnett’s most popular Indigenous band Muddy Flats from 5:00pm until late. There’ll also be a barbecue, fun Australia Day activities and lots of cold beer. A free bus will also be running from the Lake Boondooma Tourist Park, and you can book a seat on it by phoning (07) 4168-9069.
- The Cecil, Wondai
The Cecil Hotel will have a barbecue lunch from noon along with raffles to help raise money for the firies. Phone the hotel on (07) 4168-5460.
- Wondai Hotel
The Wondai Hotel will be holding a spit roast from noon to 2:00pm and again from 6:00pm to 8:00pm, followed by Ozzi Musik in the evening. Phone the hotel on (07) 4168-5274
- The Grand – Wooroolin
The Grand Hotel will be holding an Australia Day Barbecue Dinner from 5:30pm until late. For $45 per head, you can have your choice of T-bone, rump or rib steak plus six king prawns; $30 per head for a grilled chicken breast; $25 per head for two grilled sausages or a steak burger; or $5 per head for a kids-size sausage or rissole along with all-you-can eat garden salad, Caesar salad, coleslaw, onions, wedges and bread rolls, plus traditional, mango or chocolate pavlova for dessert. There’ll also be live entertainment, but bookings are essential: (07) 4164-2261.
- The Royal, Yarraman
The Royal Hotel will be hosting a Family Fun Day from 11:00am to about 4:00pm. There’ll be a jumping castle, face painting and lots of fun events including a mullet competition, a muscle man challenge and an iron woman challenge, along with a Yarraman RSL sausage sizzle and heaps of great prizes to be won. Admission is free – just pay as you go – and everyone is welcome! Phone the hotel on (07) 4163-8219.
As Well …
- Hivesville
The Hivesville Country Markets will be held at the Hivesville Sports Grounds from 7:00am to about 1:00pm. These family friendly monthly markets are held on the 4th Sunday of every month and feature a variety of stalls including fresh local farm produce, plants, crafts and lots of food. There’ll also be mini auctions running throughout the morning and there’s plenty of free parking in the grounds. New stallholders are very welcome too, and you can obtain more details by phoning 0474-491-698.
- Bunya Mountains
The monthly Bunya Mountains Markets will be running at Dandabah in the Bunya Mountains. The markets feature up to 30 stands selling quality, locally produced fresh produce, arts and crafts and they’ll be operating from 9:00am to 2:00pm. Local cafes such as Poppies On The Hill and The Bunya Mountains Cafe will be offering special Market Day menus and morning teas, lunches and afternoon teas, and walking trail maps will be available from both cafes, the Bunya Mountains General Store and market stalls if you’d like to take a walk through the adjoining National Park. Phone (07) 4668-3126.
- Kumbia
The Kumbia and District Historical Society’s museum, located in the Federation Heritage Centre behind Kumbia Hall in Bell Street, will be open from 1:30pm to 3:30pm. The museum contains an excellent photographic display of local history and is well worth a visit. Phone Josie on (07) 4164-4384 or Gayle on (07) 4164-4175.
And don’t forget, the massive Kings Royal will be at the Kingaroy Showgrounds Speedway track on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights!
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