Summer in the Sunshine State - Queensland
"Where else but Queensland"……in the state where it’s beautiful one day and perfect the next, enjoy the ambience of the summer months at some of the country’s major sporting events, internationally acclaimed festivals and seasonal celebrations.
Whitsundays Fantasea Reef Festival 04 – 13 NovemberThe Whitsunday Fantasea Reef Festival is the ideal time to enjoy Queensland’s tropics and celebrate one of nature’s most amazing creations – the Great Barrier Reef. With
Airlie Beach and the
Whitsunday Islands providing an idyllic tropical venue, this festival is fun for the whole family with events such as the Fantasea Cracker Night, Rotary Street Parade, professional sand sculpting, Family Fun Day by the Airlie Beach Lagoon, fashion parades, beachside concerts, business dress-ups and sporting competitions. Visit the ‘underwater locals’ at Reefworld and wine and dine to your heart’s content at the food and wine festival. And don’t forget to pack the sunscreen!
2005 Barra Tour 12 – 27 NovemberPack your favourite rods and lures and join the tour pursuing the mighty ‘barra’ through rivers and streams in
Gladstone,
Mackay,
Proserpine and the
Atherton Tablelands. Cast your line alongside some of Australia’s best fisherman in this 16-day challenge, while enjoying the spectacular coastal and mountain scenery and idyllic weather conditions.
www.championship.pga.org.au 01 – 04 DecemberIf golf is your game then the
Sunshine Coast is the place to go this summer, with a selection of magnificent courses set alongside beaches, national parks and mountain ranges. Add to this the opportunity to take in one of the country’s prestigious golf tournaments. 2005 marks the centenary of Australia’s oldest professional golf tournament, held annually on the Robert Trent Jones course at the Hyatt Regency Coolum. The PGA has been won by some of the greatest names in international golf such as Greg Norman, Seve Ballesteros, Craig Parry, and Ian Baker-Finch, and this year an exciting array of past champions and Australian and international players are being assembled to contest the coveted Kirkwood Cup.
Parmalat Christmas Celebrations DecemberShare the spirit of Christmas with family and friends at
Brisbane’s South Bank Parklands with a whole month of movies, music and media shows, and magical Christmas lights. Each day of the celebrations there are two al-fresco screenings of big movies on the Cultural Forecourt, the “Light Fantastic” showcase of films, animation and multimedia works by students from Griffith University, carols by the award-winning male voice a capella group Banana Blenders and an extensive program of Christmas busking. On the Suncorp Piazza the Garden City Christian Church produces a large-scale variety concert which includes a nativity scene, live animals and a giant singing Christmas tree. Take a ride on the ferris wheel for a wonderful view of South Bank Parklands' Christmas lights display. This year the month’s theme is “Christmas is the World’s Rainbow”, and features the giant fig tree in the Cultural Forecourt springing to light for a few minutes five times every night with over 100,000 lights and fibre optics.
Goondiwindi New Year’s Eve Raceday 31 DecemberThe legend of Gunsynd, the “Goondiwindi Grey” lives on in this charming Outback town on the Queensland / NSW border. The manicured lawns and gardens of the
Goondiwindi Racecourse make a beautiful setting for one of the signature events on the racing calendar. Join the locals on New Year’s Eve for a full program of racing with on-course bookies, Sky channel, food and bar service.
Woodford Folk Festival 27 November – 01 JanuaryThe
Woodford Folk Festival is an event of international standing. Held over six days and six nights it presents more than 2000 performers and 400 events on five stages. The program encompasses concerts, dances, workshops, indigenous forums, street theatre, writers' panels, film festival, comedy sessions, acoustic jams, social dialogue and debate, art and craft workshops, late night cabarets and special events including an entire children's festival and a spectacular fire event. The Festival features the cream of Australian performers and some special international guests. Everyone at the Festival is invited to join in the shared colourful outdoor ceremonies – the Welcoming Ceremony, New Year’s Rhythm Festival and Fire Event.
Streets New Years Eve Party @ South Bank 31 DecemberGreet the New Year with top quality music and pyrotechnics at the Streets New Year's Eve Party, held in the spectacular South Bank Parklands. Attracting around 80,000 revellers this is Brisbane's largest New Year's Eve celebration, with three themed entertainment stages providing an array of live bands and entertainment to dance the old year away and welcome the new! Two fireworks displays, one at 9pm - for families - and one at midnight, are guaranteed to light up the whole city. Visitors can get a bird's eye view of South Bank, the city and the celebrations from the giant ferris wheel which is located on the riverside for the holiday season.
Mondial Australian Womens Hard Court Championships 01 – 04 JanuaryThe Mondial Australian Women’s Hardcourts is one of the key tournaments in the Australian Summer Tennis Circuit and an established event on the professional tennis tour. Staged at the prestigious Royal Pines Resort on the
Gold Coast, this world-class event boasts former champions Anna Kournikova, Venus Williams, Martina Navratilova and Patty Schnyder, and provides spectators with a full week of action packed women’s tennis.