December 4, 2024
The clock’s counting down quickly to Christmas! There’s already been a few carols events held in the South Burnett, including Sunday night’s big show at the Kingaroy Town Hall.
But Goomeri has kicked off the carnivals with a family-friendly event at Goomeri Showgrounds on Saturday.
This is the fourth year the Goomeri Lions have held their annual Christmas Carnival at the showgrounds.
Lions Club president Ree Birgan said it was just a lot easier than the previous street event, especially with fewer volunteers available these days to help out.
There were plenty of Christmas gift ideas to browse with local craftspeople setting up stalls selling handmade items in the pavilion.
While adults sat around chatting, eating, drinking and listening to music, the town’s younger population were having heaps of fun kicking a football in the showgrounds arena or queueing up for the free face-painting.
The youngsters all came running back, however, when summoned by musician Vic Pascoe to sing some Christmas songs.
The excitement then began to build as the word spread that Mrs Claus was on her way (it’s a very busy time of year for Father Christmas, so he sent his better half to Goomeri).
Mrs Claus arrived in style on a Queensland Fire Department buggy and was quickly swamped with children as she handed out lollies donated by Goomeri Foodworks.
The evening culminated in a fireworks display, sponsored by the Waterfall Feedlot.
Goomeri Lions would also like to thank the other sponsors which helped out, including Goomeri Emporium and Big Rick’s Yard Yakka.
[There’s heaps more Christmas fun to be had around the region … see the list of local events below!]
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Upcoming Christmas Events
Here’s a list of other Christmas events which will be happening around the region.
There’s a couple of changes this year … there’s no Christmas event in Hivesville (it will be at Mondure, instead) and the Wondai Christmas Festival is on December 21 (not Christmas Eve).
- December 4 – Carols In The Park, Wondai. The Wondai CWA and Community Choir will join with the Wondai Town & District Band to perform Christmas carols from 5:00pm to 8:00pm in Coronation Park. There’ll be a free sausage sizzle put on by Wondai Lions plus face-painting, a hot dog van and ice cream van. Santa is also rumoured to be coming along!
- December 5 – Community Christmas Carols, Nanango. Community Christmas Carols will be held at St Patrick’s School Hall, 16 Alfred Street, Nanango. There’ll be a free sausage sizzle from 5:30pm, followed by the carols at 7:00pm.
- December 6 – Mayor’s Community Christmas Lunch, Kingaroy. The annual Mayor’s Community Christmas Lunch will be held at Kingaroy Town Hall in Glendon Street, Kingaroy from noon (when doors open) to around 2:00pm. The lunch is a fundraiser for the region’s disadvantaged families, providing them with food vouchers at Christmas. The guest speaker today will be well-known vocalist Julee-anne Bell. In addition to a great lunch prepared by the QCWA there’ll also be live entertainment plus raffles.
- December 6 – Blackbutt Christmas Festival. Blackbutt Benarkin Lions Club will be hosting a family-friendly Christmas celebration at Blackbutt Showgrounds from 5:30pm to 8:00pm. There’ll be competitions (Best Dressed Family, Best Decorated Pushbike), a jumping castle, face-painting, market stalls, raffles, carols, fireworks and … a visit by Santa! A licensed bar will also be open.
- December 7 – Christmas In The Park, Yarraman. The Yarraman & District Progress Association Inc will be celebrating Christmas in Errol Munt Park from 4:00pm to 8:00pm. There’ll be a jumping castle and slides, live music, market stalls, food and drink stalls, face painting for the kids plus a visit from Santa in his sleigh! Christmas carols will start at 7:00pm. A licensed bar will also be operating.
- December 7 – Kilkivan Community Christmas Carnival. The annual Kilkivan Community Christmas Carnival will be held from 6:00pm at Kilkivan Showgrounds at 88 Mudlo Road. There’ll food trucks, face painting, a DJ and a licensed bar plus Santa will be dropping in! This is a free community event.
- December 8 – Christmas At The Little Cathedral In The Bush, Nanango. Well-known soprano Calista Walters will coming back home to Nanango for a a special performance of carols at Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church, 35-37 Gipps Street Nanango. Calista, who went to school in Nanango, will be accompanied by the Toowoomba Philharmonic Chamberlin Ensemble. The performance will start at 5:00pm and will be followed by a light supper. Cost is $15 for adults and $10 for students (children under 5 free). Tickets can be booked online but there will also be a limited number available at the door. Funds raised will go towards the church’s current building project.
- December 10 – Christmas Carols, Proston. Christmas carols will be held from 5:00pm in Railway Park in Proston. There’ll be giveaways plus a prize for the Best Christmas outfit. Special guest will be 97-year-old Australian country music legend Kelly Dixon who wrote many songs for Slim Dusty. Proston P-10 students will also be performing and Santa is expected to drop by!
- December 12 – Kingaroy Christmas Carnival. The annual Kingaroy Christmas Carnival will be held in Glendon Street from 5:00pm to 9:00pm. There’ll be food, markets, rides, free face-painting, a free animal farm … and Santa!
- December 13 – Murgon Bush Christmas. The Murgon Show Society in conjunction with Murgon’s Rotary, Lions and Apex clubs, the Murgon Business & Development Association and the Murgon Men’s Shed will be hosting a Bush Christmas at Murgon’s Showgrounds in Macalister Street from 5:30pm. The event will feature food and market stalls, kids’ games, jumping castles, face painting, a barbecue, ham wheel, music and a licensed bar. There’ll also be an auction of live, decorated Christmas trees. Entry is free and everyone is welcome.
- December 14 – Community Christmas Carnival, Proston. Proston QCWA will be hosting this year’s Proston Christmas Carnival from 4:00pm in the parklands surrounding their rooms in Rodney Street. There’ll be hot food and cold drinks for sale, a coffee van, Christmas stalls, ice cream van, raffles and a jumping castle for the kids. Rumour has it that Santa may be dropping in, too!
- December 14 – Kumbia Christmas Carnival. Kumbia’s 23rd annual Christmas Carnival will be held in and around Kumbia Hall in Bell Street from 4:00pm until about 9:00pm. There’ll be stalls, a monster raffle, family entertainment, a ham wheel and a sausage sizzle barbecue. Santa himself will even be paying a visit (reportedly on a fire engine!).
- December 14 – Community Christmas, Ballogie. The Ballogie Community Association will be holding a community Christmas event from 2:00pm to 6:00pm on the group’s newly cleared block on the Chinchilla-Wondai Road (opposite the Seiler Road turn-off).There’ll be a car boot sale, kids’ activities, face-painting, music, barbecue and Japanese food for sale and a raffle! Santa has promised to drop by about 5:00pm.
- December 18 – Christmas Twilight Street Party, Mondure. The Hivesville Progress Association will be hosting a Christmas celebration from 4:00pm to 7:00pm at the Mondure Hall in McConnell Way, Mondure. There’ll be a sausage sizzle; free tea, coffee and nibbles; a multi-draw raffle plus soft drinks and water for sale. Everyone is welcome!
- December 19 – Heritage Nanango Christmas Carnival. Nanango’s Christmas Carnival is on the move for 2024! The Nanango Business Alliance will be hosting this year’s event at the South Burnett Kart Hire track at 13838 D’Aguilar Highway, Nanango. There’ll be rides, stalls, music, food and, of course, go karts! The fun will get under way at 3:00pm and run through until about 9:00pm.
- December 19 – Gospel & Carols Night, Cherbourg. Cherbourg Council will be hosting a Gospel and carols night from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at the Cherbourg Sports Complex in Collins Road, Cherbourg. There will be food plus the winners of Cherbourg’s local Christmas lights competition will be announced.
- December 21 – Christmas Carnival, Wondai. Wondai’s annual Christmas Carnival will be held from 5:00pm at the Wondai Showgrounds. There’ll be face-painting and kids’ activities; food and market stalls; jumping castle, lucky dips and ham wheels. Santa is scheduled to arrive at 7:30pm! All proceeds will go towards the 2025 Wondai Show.
- December 22 – Christmas Carols, Bunya Mountains. There’ll be Christmas carols from 5:00pm to 7:30pm in the Dandabah Day Use area. The Bunya Mountains Community Association Inc will have a sausage sizzle and drinks stall.
- December 22 – Christmas Get-Together, Inverlaw. A Christmas get-together will be held from 6:00pm at the Inverlaw Farmers Hall on the Burrandowan Road (roughly 20km from Kingaroy). There will be a multi-draw raffle. Bring a plate to share (main and dessert).
Footnote: If we have missed your Christmas event, please email the details to news@southburnett.com.au and we’ll add it to our free Daily Events calendar!
