Events

Celebrate Mary Poppins, whales and everything in-between

Family entertainment, food festivals, sport, community and culture – the Fraser Coast has events to celebrate them all.

A climate blessed by year-round sunshine, mild temperatures, a variety of accommodation choices from the beach to the hinterland, all supported by great cuisine, makes the Fraser Coast a perfect event destination. The region is only a short drive from South-East Queensland and offers a diverse line-up of events.

WHALES: Declared the world’s first Whale Heritage Site in 2019, Hervey Bay celebrates the return of majestic humpback whales each year with the Hervey Bay Whale Festival between late July and early August.

To ensure a bountiful whale watching season and safe passage for cetaceans and humans, the festival launches with the centuries old tradition of the “Blessing of the Fleet” sail past at the Hervey Bay Marina; concluding with a colourful display of fireworks over the water.

The weekend continues with the Whale Parade and Family Day and the local favourite, a Paddle Out for Whales off Scarness Pier. The paddle was originally a protest about continuing whaling world-wide but has transitioned as a celebration of the humpback’s return to Hervey Bay each migration season.

To pay further tribute to Hervey Bay’s unique relationship with the ocean, the festival ends with the Hervey Bay Seafood Festival, one of the largest seafood events in the State, with great music, entertainment – and food!

MARY POPPINS: Another popular event is the colourful and quirky Mary Poppins Festival, held each year in Maryborough in early July, celebrating the art of storytelling. The festival honours Mary Poppins’ author and storyteller, Pamela Lyndon Travers, who was born Helen Lyndon Goff in an upstairs bedroom of the former Australian Joint Stock Bank building in Maryborough on 9 August 1899.

The bank has been converted into an interactive museum, called Story Bank, sharing the story of Maryborough’s unique connection to P.L. Travers. The main Mary Poppins Festival celebration, known as “Day In The Park”, includes storytelling across multiple artforms, the Great Nanny Race, Chimney Sweep Challenges, entertainers and characters bursting in the streets, and a Grand Parade to boot.

A DOSE OF COUNTRY: Visitors wanting to slow it down and experience a healthy dose of country hospitality are encouraged to stroll through the gates of the Fraser Coast Agricultural Show in May or celebrate the region’s rich mining history at the Burrum Coal Discovery Festival in July.

If you are looking for an energetic atmosphere, head to the Teebar Campdraft and Rodeo in June, frock up for the Torbanlea Picnic Races in October or watch all the action at the Fraser Coast R.U.M. Fest with rodeo, utes and music in November.

SPORT: The Fraser Coast’s action-packed sports line-up includes the Burrum SurfFX Windfest in April, the Queensland Junior State Cup touch football carnival in July, the Hervey Bay Pier 2 Pub swim in August, along with the Barge2Beach Swim and Hervey Bay 100 triathlon in November.

FISHING: The Fraser Coast capitalises on its reputation as one of the country’s premier fishing destinations by hosting a range of contests for anglers including the Burrum Heads Easter Fishing Classic in April, the Toogoom Family Fishing Competition in September and the Hervey Bay Game Fishing Classic in the marlin grounds off K’gari-Fraser Island in November.

SPEED: Feel the need for speed? In May, hit the beach for the highoctane thrills of powerboat racing as Hervey Bay hosts the Offshore Superboat Championships. If cars are your thing, cruise to the Maryborough Speedway track for one of their regular meets involving karts, junior sedans, modifieds, formula 500s and V8 sprint cars. If you prefer your thrills sky-high, try the annual Wings, Wheels and Warbirds for classic cars, classic planes and serious horsepower.

The Fraser Coast has a busy calendar of festivals and events happening all year round.

For a complete list go to visitfrasercoast.com/events and follow Fraser Coast Events on Facebook.

Culinary events are a crowd favourite on the Fraser Coast with the popularity of food-focused festivals a hot ticket item. The events offer unique Fraser Coast experiences to both locals and holiday makers alike.

The driving force turning food experiences into a stronger tourist attraction has been the team at Fraser Coast Tourism & Events, which has hit on the popular combination of offering great food variety mixed with quality entertainment, craft stalls and kids’ entertainment to draw the crowds at regular Food ‘n Groove Friday events at Seafront Oval during the summer tourist high season.

RELISH: The Relish Food & Wine Festival in Maryborough’s Mary River Parklands has been a consistent favourite since it began its career as the Portside Food and Wine Festival in 2012. Aimed at lifting community pride in Fraser Coast food and agri-businesses, this event is a celebration of local talent and resources. Great food, wine of course, live musicians and watching some of the region’s best chefs showcase their skills and knowledge are now huge drawcards to the annual Relish event, held in winter sunshine in early June.

SEAFOOD FESTIVAL: Now the king of major Fraser Coast food events, the Hervey Bay Seafood Festival is held in August each year. Where better to hold this event feasting on all the tasty morsels from the sea than the foreshore of Hervey Bay, facing K’gari-Fraser Island and revelling in its status as the gateway to the Great Sandy Strait.

The event is already one of the largest seafood festivals in Queensland, based on the offering of local wild catch straight from the ocean including fish, prawns and those world-famous Hervey Bay scallops – as well as great entertainment and refreshing beverages.

Fraser Coast 2022 Food Festivals*

First Saturday in June | Relish Food & Wine Festival (City Parklands, Maryborough) First Sunday in July | Mary Poppins Day in the Park (Portside Precinct, Maryborough) Last weekend in July | Whale Festival (Hervey Bay) Second Saturday in August | Seafood Festival (Hervey Bay)

For an up-to-date list of Fraser Coast events, visitfrasercoast.com/events and follow Fraser Coast Events on Facebook

*Subject to change, for updates visit: visitfrasercoast.com/events

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For a full list of the region’s events and most up-to-date information search visitfrasercoast.com/events and follow Fraser Coast Events on Facebook.

January February

• Wide Bay Capricorn Surf Rescue Championships,

Hervey Bay • Kingfisher Bay Resort Regatta, K’gari-Fraser Island

March

• Bay Break Multi Sports Festival, Hervey Bay

May

• May in the Bay, Widebay Rodders • Offshore Superboats, Hervey Bay • Fraser Coast Agricultural Show, Maryborough • Australian Heritage Festival, Maryborough

July

• Mary Poppins Festival, Maryborough • Queensland Touch Football Junior State Cup,

Hervey Bay • Burrum Coal Discovery Festival • FraserPop! Pop Culture Festival, Maryborough • Hervey Bay Whale Festival

September

• Triathlon/Aquathlon Schools Championship,

Hervey Bay

April

• SurfFX Windfest, Burrum Heads • Bay to Bay Yacht Race • Jungle Love Music Festival, Gootchie • Poona Family Fishing Competition • Conrodders Hot Rod Club Show & Shine,

Maryborough Showground

June

• Relish Food and Wine Festival, Maryborough Parklands • Rotary Living Expo, Hervey Bay • Teebar Campdraft and Rodeo • SteamFesta, Queens Park, Maryborough

August

• Wings, Wheels and Warbirds, Maryborough • Hervey Bay Seafood Festival • Hervey Bay Pier to Pub • Ultra 355, Hervey Bay • Maryborough Open Gardens

• Riverfest, River Heads • Fraser Coast Technology Challenge, Maryborough • Toogoom Family Fishing Competition • Tour De Bay • Joeys Mini World Cup, Hervey Bay • Red Bike Challenge, K’gari-Fraser Island

November

• Fraser Coast R.U.M Fest, Maryborough Showground • Hervey Bay Game Fishing Classic • Barge2Beach Ocean Swim, Torquay • Hervey Bay 100 Triathlon

October

• Torbanlea Picnic Races • Majestic Vanners Show ‘n Shine, Hervey Bay

December

• Food ‘n Groove Fridays, Hervey Bay • Carols in the Park, Maryborough • Hervey Bay RSL Carols by Candlelight • New Year’s Eve Celebrations, Torquay

The annual Fraser Coast events program is subject to change. For updates visitfrasercoast.com/events