Fun Fly Weekend
It wasn’t just an impressive variety of model aircrafts which were flying high over the Clarence Valley in recent days with the enthusiasm and enthralment of spectators at the Grafton Model Aircraft Club’s annual Fun Fly Weekend also soaring to new heights.
Museum expansion to drive visitors to Gippsland: Dimopoulos
A new showroom displaying Holden heritage vehicles is revving up Gippsland, giving car enthusiasts another reason to visit the region. Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos was at the Trafalgar Holden Museum to announce that the new showroom, the Neil Joiner Holden Heritage Centre is now open.Â
Structural vulnerabilities in an era of economic friction
Carla Wilshire. I visited Lord Howe Island as a child. I remember the quiet strength of it, the gentle precision of life shaped by tides and cargo, and the sense that everything here moved to its own rhythm ... In the years since, I have come to see Lord Howe not only as a national treasure, but as a case study in resilience under constraint.
$10m for Rock walk, spin-off unclear
The NT Government is providing a $10m loan to an interstate company for a walk in the Uluru National Park while other publicly funded tourism related projects in The Centre are on hold or merely planned. The conditions of the loan are not readily available. We have asked for them and will report them when and if details are provided by the government.
Congratulations Stanthorpe
The prestigious 2025 Queensland Top Tourism Town Awards were recently held in Brisbane with Stanthorpe winning silver. The announcement, made by the Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC), celebrates communities that offer outstanding visitor experiences and strong tourism leadership.
Frostbite rally riders roar into Allora
This is the 31st Annual Frost Bite Rally to be conducted by the Warwick Chapter of the Historical Motorcycle Club of Queensland. The first Rally started at Leslie Dam all those years ago. Riders from Northern New South Wales, Brisbane, Townsville and around South East Queensland arrive for Allora's frosty weather and they won't be disappointed.
Fire love
After the morning fog cleared away, the skies were clear on Saturday 21 June for the Maldon in Winter Bonfire which was even bigger and brighter than last year in every way. A packed train brought hundreds of visitors — many of them families with children — to excitedly walk across from the railway station and through to the back of the Machinery Museum.
Annabelle Cleeland statement: Winton Wetlands closure
The sudden closure of the Mokoan Hub and Café at Winton Wetlands is incredibly disappointing and has left our local community reeling. My thoughts are with the hardworking staff who lost their jobs with no warning or transparency. They deserved far better.
Queensland breaks international visitor spending record: Powell
New data published today by Tourism Research Australia shows international holiday visitors spent a record $3.1 billion, surpassing pre-Covid levels for the very first time. Visitors from New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, India, France and Indonesia led the charge, all spending a record amount while they were holidaying in Queensland.Â
Queensland’s country shows secure lifeline with $600K government boost
Agricultural shows across Queensland have received a welcome funding boost, with the Queensland Government announcing an additional $600,000 to support these iconic events that play a vital role in regional life ... Queensland Ag Shows President David Wilson said the support comes at a critical time for many rural and regional shows.
An oar-inspiring weekend on the water
Lachlan Dand. A cold Saturday morning failed to dampen the spirits of more than 200 rowers in 44 crews who hit the water for the annual Renmark Rowing Club’s Wharf to Woolshed Long Row. Completing its eighth year ... the Long Row had competitors from all over Australia take on the 36km journey.
Beast of a win in Thunderbolt
A rags to riches story with a special Clarence Valley connection wrote itself into local sporting folklore in less than 20 seconds on June 21 at the Grafton Greyhound Racing Club when speed sensation Badger’s Beast set a new race record and dominated his rivals to win the $40000 Ladbrokes Thunderbolt, the richest short course race in the world over 350m.
Whyalla Airport cleared for take-off after vital upgrade completion: Malinauskas, King, Stone
An investment of more than $30 million to upgrade one of South Australia’s most important airports has been completed, allowing vital services to the Whyalla region to continue.
CLP targets trade and investment growth in Malaysia: Cahill
As part of the Finocchiaro CLP Government’s Rebuilding the Economy: NT Economy Strategy 2025, Minister for Trade, Business and Asian Relations Robyn Cahill will lead a delegation to Malaysia to strengthen government-to-government ties and promote new trade and investment opportunities for the Northern Territory.
Tourism blues as bloom remains, spreads
Businesses on southern Yorke Peninsula have been hit by a tourism downturn amid the ongoing algal bloom. Stansbury has been affected by brevetoxin, closing the town's oyster farms for over six weeks, which Dalrymple Hotel owner Rob Rankine said had influenced visitation to the town.
Cooktown Discovery Festival unites community in celebration of history and culture
Hundreds of locals and visitors gathered in Cooktown over the weekend for the 46th annual Cooktown Discovery Festival, celebrating the region’s rich culture, community spirit, and place in Australian history as the site of the first recorded act of reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
Summerwave Sundays comes to Cohuna
This Sunday June 22, will be a great day of entertainment in Cohuna as four hours of free music gets underway from 2pm at the Big Cohuna Stockyard, headlined by the up and coming band Velvet Bloom as a part of their debut album launch tour.
Revamped Coolamon Hotel now open for business
Coolamon Hotel has now reopened with a cocktail bar, glasshouse dining area and terrace after being out of action for five years. New owner Craig Patterson said the end result was worth the challenge.
Yamba’s iconic Norfolk Pines
John McNamara. Reported in DISTRICT NEWS in 28 December 1907 C&RE: Visitors to Yamba during the Christmas holidays have commented upon the constant diminution in the number of available shade trees, and at the same time Mr. J. H. Malden suggests, in the ''Agricultural Gazette," that the Norfolk Island pine should be more freely planted along the coastal areas than it is.
Ending the Banrock Station legacy
An iconic Riverland cellar door is set to close its doors to local patrons at the end of the month. Though wetland management and operations are set to continue as normal, access to the wetlands and cellar door will be stopped after a recent decision to close the Kingston-on-Murray site.
LisAmore! Italian Festival and Lantern Parade
Be part of the magic! LisAmore! 2025 Calls for volunteers and Italian car lovers. Get ready to immerse yourself once again in the vibrant atmosphere of Italian culture and community spirit. The Lismore Turf Club's parklands will be transformed into a bustling Italian festival for LisAmore! on Sunday 6 July 10am to 3pm.
Milestone horse event for Narrandera
Sean Cunningham. Narrandera is saddling up for a major milestone soon as those involved with the Narrandera Horse Trials are set to mark 50 years of equestrian excellence with a celebratory function ... Narrandera's status as a regional equestrian hub will be on full display with the Horse Trials expected to attract more than 1000 visitors ...

