Tourism

Patrick Goldsmith. Warooka's art will come alive when augmented reality takes a hold of a new art project called Moving Murals, next year. Through the project, augmented reality enabled murals will be painted on easily accessible walls and structures in Warooka and further south, in a bid to extend the growth of regional art tourism trails on southern Yorke Peninsula and attract people to the town.

The third $10,000 red-tagged barra of Million Dollar Fish Season 9 has been caught just five weeks into the season. The season runs from 1 October 2023 until 31 March 2024 ... This season someone is guaranteed to win a million dollars.  

The Maldon Folk Festival returns this weekend, with a sensational program that features performers from across Australia, the US and England ... Where to start?!  Let’s begin with Gina Jefferey, who must surely be one of the queens of country music.

Two black-and-white ruffed lemurs have been paired together at the Altina Wildlife Park near Darlington Point. The species is critically endangered due to poaching and deforestation and one is from England and will provide genetic diversity to the Australian lemur population.

The Festival of Small Halls stopped in at Pilton Soldiers Memorial Hall, performing in front of a big crowd. Lee ann Weekes from down the road at West Haldon opened the show. She was followed by Brisbane-based cellist Monique Clare and Canadian musician Shane Pendergast.

From vintage treasures to cult vinyl and rare collectables, shoppers can snag all sorts of epic stuff at retro prices when the Garage Sale Trail comes to the Port Pirie region this month ... Australia’s festival of pre-loved stuff will see 13 garage sales happen locally, with thousands more across the nation.

The stunning beauty of Grafton’s famous jacaranda trees is being captured forever on canvas by internationally acclaimed South Korean artist Kim Chang Han, who is visiting the Clarence Valley for the 2023 Grafton Jacaranda Festival … Mr Han said painting is one of his greatest enjoyments in life…

A partnership of key local agencies will rejuvenate the bush to improve biodiversity at one of Coffs Harbour’s most visited natural assets.  Forestry Corporation has partnered with Envite Environment and the Gumbaynggirr Ranger team of the Ngiyambandigay Wajaarr Aboriginal Corporation (NWAC) to undertake weed management and staged bush revegetation work within the Bruxner Park Flora Reserve.

The Mallee Root Round Up committee was delighted to welcome almost nine hundred revellers back to the Mallee Root Roundup B&S ball last Saturday, October 21, after a three-year hiatus caused by unprecedented circumstances. In the 1980s there were up to 500 balls across Australia, but now it is more like thirty.

Kangaroo Island has been named one of the world’s top destinations to visit – and is the only Australian destination to make the list. Ranked as #2 by global travel authority, Lonely Planet, in its 2024 Top Regions Hotlist, Kangaroo Island is recognised as a premier eco-tourism destination which offers distinct local produce, abundant native wildlife, natural experiences, and some of the nation’s most pristine beaches.

The air was filled with excitement on Friday night as the Koondrook Barham Show celebrated its 60th show ... The night air was abuzz as the volunteers’ efforts of attracting a wide variety of attractions fired up the crowd in perfect weather.

In the fifth year of the Waveski Australian Open being held at Yamba the standard of surfing reached new heights in 2023, with several divisions coming down to the last wave of the final before the champion could be crowned ... “Rees Duncan, multiple world champion was a standout in the Open division...": Organiser and competitor, Dave Andrews.

Hundreds of admiring spectators gathered beneath the glowing purple petals of the jacaranda trees in See Park, Grafton ... for the opening night of Illuminate Jacaranda ... “It was a stunning way to show off the beauty of the jacaranda trees”: Cherie Goodwin.

The 137th Annual Nhill Show is now done for another 12 months and boy, what a show it was ... The food van did a great trade for the day and side show alley had a constant buzz.

Jenny Pollard. Finally! Following three years of “No Show” the Charlton A & P Society could at last breathe a sigh of relief as the 140th Show returned to the annual calendar and - for the first time – was held in the new Charlton Park Complex ... As just one of the 580 agricultural shows which take place across Australia, Charlton has fought doggedly to retain its big day.

Organisers of the all-new Bundanoon Folk Festival this November 24-26 say it’s heart-warming to see the village community rally to lend their time and skills to bring the Festival to life ... The vision is to build an annual Folk Festival unique to Bundanoon, that connects and showcases the village, supports local businesses, and creates gigs for regional artists along with crowd-pleasing national talent. Among fun live performances will be music, song and spoken word.

It’s the Byron Bay Film Festival, so there's always going to be  surf  films ... Topping the bill is Emmy-winning filmmaker Paul Taublieb’s documentary Ground Swell: The Other Side of Fear, which poses the question: what prompts big wave surfers to travel the globe to find absurdly colossal waves to throw themselves into, tackling natural forces in a contest that any rational human would see as insane?

Sheafs tossed, utes pushed, gumboots thrown, horses paraded, Clydesdales ‘clopped’, sheep shorn, ribbons worn, bands delighted, puppets thrilled, dogs jumped, flowers impressed, quilts amazed, artwork admired, photos discussed, bars attended, food tempted, smiles beamed, children played, laughter echoed, winners cheered… yes, the 159th Maldon and Baringhup Annual Spring Show was a crowd-pleasing success last Sunday.

The Corryong Historic Machinery Club is welcoming returning participants, visitors and locals to its 2023 Rally this weekend; the first event since 2019 following the ‘Black Summer’ bushfires, the pandemic and a ‘big wet’.

Many visitors and locals are preparing for this year’s 7th Annual Khancoban Poker on Saturday October 28th. This year proceeds from the day and the auction that night will be going to Country Hope which provides emotional and financial support to country families who have a child diagnosed with cancer or other life- threatening illness.

Quill. Who said Friday the 13th is supposed to be unlucky? It certainly wasn’t for Donald’s Annual P & A Show, which opened its gates on Friday for two days of fun for the whole family ... Of particular interest, and new to the Donald Show was Stewart Bryant’s literally cracking performance.