Townsville Region Guides Attractions Events in Queensland

Entering its twentieth year, the Australian Festival of Chamber Music (AFCM) is an international chamber music festival held over nine days each August in Townsville, North Queensland. Each year, the AFCM attracts between 25 and 30 chamber musicians from around the world, appearing in over 25 concerts performing 80 compositions along with 20 emerging artists. It is Australia’s largest festival dedicated to chamber music. Besides the core concert series, the AFCM has a number of other key components focusing on music, entertainment, education, community outreach and the environment. Some of these include the Winterschool masterclass education program; the Young Families Concert; the Reef Talk Program; the Outback Tour and the Chefs in the North Dinner.

The Australian-Italian Festival showcases the Italian culture. One of North Queensland's most colourful and successful events, provides an exciting line-up of entertainment for all ages and tastes and has provided 16 years of entertainment, socialising, feasting and family fun.

This award-winning three day event is a celebration of Italian heritage located in tropical North Queensland. Enjoying the best of authentic Italian cuisine and an extensive range of Italian wines and beverages visitors join the exuberant celebrations in the town's piazza, and "mangiamo, beviamo e cantiamo" .....Eat, Drink and Celebrate.

The annual festival, a tribute to the Italian heritage of the sugar-growing Hinchinbrook Shire, had its humble beginnings as an idea from a community workshop. Today the award-winning event attracts thousands of people to this culturally enriched region of Australia.

Come and enjoy a huge action packed day at the Burdekin Auto Festival. There will be so much on offer including a Show N Shine of cars and motorbikes, driving events to test your skill, burnout competition, Police escorted Supercruiser into Ayr and Demolition Derby to finish. Kids attractions will include such things as the Dragster Slide, Merry go round and the Lolly drop at 3.00 p.m. where you can win great prizes. Lots or trophies and prizes will be up for grabs. Brett Stevens and his Jack Daniels Racing team will be there also!! Bring the family so everyone can have fun.

Turn back the clock, relive the glory days of gold and dig up some fun at the Charters Towers Gold Fever Festival.

This year's festival hosts a display by the Mareeba Warbirds aircraft on Saturday 24 July followed by a Prospectors Dinner and entertainment in the evening. Sunday kicks off with a 10 kilometre Fun Run with prize money.

Gates open at the Venus Gold Battery at 9.30am - Stake your claim for the Gold Rush. 100 plots are for sale and every plot will win a prize. The 'Rush' takes place at 2.30pm.

Sit back and enjoy live music, bush poets, country markets, gold panning, vintage car display and old fashion wagon rides. Heaps of fun for the kids.
Witness the battery coming to life again as the engines are switched on. Free mini tours of the battery will be conducted throughout the day.

The Charters Towers Show is the annual event of the Towers Pastoral, Agricultural and Mining Association Incorporated. There are Equestrian, Stud and Prime cattle, Poultry and Pigeons, Caged birds, Cavy, Boer goats, and, on the Sunday morning, a Dog Show event. They also have competitions in craft, baking, art, fruit and vegetables, orchids, roses, crochet, knitting, sewing, leather work, wood turning and a school student art displays to name a few. The site also has the Showman's Guild rides and sideshow alley plus Show traders from all over Australia. Come, stay Monday night and join in the fun on Tuesday too!

Keen fishers from around the district will be sorting out their tackle boxes and testing their outboards in preparation for the seven annual Hinchinbrook Family Fishing Classic to be held at Borello Park Lucinda.

Activities will include children's rides, beach games, mud crab tying, prawn eating competitions and musical entertainment.

Come and enjoy a fun day out.

Enjoy a night of adrenaline charged excitement as some of Australia's top cowboys battle it out with the best bulls in the land at the Ingham PBR Bull Ride. Local fans are hoping to again welcome back top Rodeo Clown - CC Moody to Ingham. After the action in the arena relax at the bar and enjoy some great music till 1.00 a.m.

2010 will see the fourth year in a row that Townsville has hosted the National Offshore Superboat Series. The AUD1 million superboats go head to head in the crystal clear waters of Cleveland Bay in front of Townsville's beautiful Strand. The superboats will visit the city the weekend before the V8's hit town creating a week of high octane excitement for locals and visitors. the national offshore superboat series event in Townsville is a free community event over the weekend of 3 and 4 July.

Stable on the Strand is an interactive re-enactment of Bethlehem 2000 years ago. Relate to the actors, be accosted by the beggars, buy wares from the markets, pat the animals - camels, donkeys, sheep and goats. Become a Roman soldier, talk to Herod, see Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. In the Amphitheatre is a vibrant dramatic production around the Christmas theme. Celebrate Christmas with the family...heaps of activities for children and youth; free tea, coffee and Christmas cake; 5 nights of great entertainment with high profile guest artists. The main Stage is on the Beach overlooking beautiful Cleveland Bay

The Suncorp North Queensland Games will be held in the Townsville Region. Ranked as the largest regional multi-event sporting games in Australia, the North Queensland Sports Foundation initiated this biennial event in 1984. The Games continue to rotate between Townsville, Cairns, Mt Isa and Mackay and still attract thousands of competitors. Competitors have been drawn mainly from North Queensland with increasing support from Queensland country, Brisbane, interstate and overseas.

The Games will include over 40 sports and are set to attract approximately 5,000 competitors. The ceremonial aspects of the Games are important, and a gala dinner will be held, prior to the Games official Opening Ceremony at the wonderful Townsville Strand. There will be sport aplenty and then a Closing Celebration will be staged at the new Riverway venue in Thuringowa.

Sailor, spectator or passerby, Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week is sure to leave a lasting impression this September! You won't want to miss the Race Week Shoreside Party with live music, fireworks, a chance to mingle with the competitors and much, much more.

If you want to get amongst the racing action out on the water, visit the website and see how you can book a spot on the Sunferries Spectator Boat and enjoy the best seats in the house in air conditioned comfort, nibbles, on board commentary and a licensed bar available.

Magnetic Island is the place to be over the first weekend in September with something happening all over the island every day during Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week.

The Magnetic Island to Townsville swim has been held almost every year since 1954. Over the years, the who's who of Australian swimming and surf-lifesaving have competed in the race. Over the past 50 years, the event has grown to become a very iconic event unique to Townsville. The Magnetic Island to Townsville swim is the only open water swimming event of its kind north of Rockhampton. The swim encapsulates so much that is Townsville - the Island and reef, the beach, the sea.

They encourage all capable swimmers to train hard, put in the distances and, have a go at conquering the waters of Cleveland Bay and, become a part of both Australian and World Swimming History. It doesn't matter whether you come first or last, it is about giving it your best shot.

Best Wishes for your crossing.

North Queensland is set to sparkle as the Townsville Gem and Mineral Club prepare for their annual gem show. The show will be held at the Club House on Mooney Street, Gulliver.

On show over the two days will be the best of North Queensland’s craftsmanship in the field of Lapidary. The club house will be filled with tailgaters (market stalls), gem dealers, rock and crystal displays and jewellery produced by members of the club. For those who already have skills and are looking for new projects, there will be lapidary supplies, various cut and uncut stones such as sapphires and slabs of rock all to get visitors enthused into making their own special piece.

The corporate team triathlon as part of Townsville Triathlon Festival is an event promoting teamwork, a healthy workforce, corporate health and maintaining a work/life balance. The event has continued to grow and has become a much-anticipated event on annual sporting and corporate calendars throughout the Townsville region. All levels of fitness and fun will been represented.

This event is now located on the tropical beach front The Strand of Townsville. Also available on the day are massage tents for competitors, free refreshment drinks available from sponsors tents and a free sausage sizzle. Local radio stations will be broadcasting live from 7.00 a.m. The Cancer Council Queensland will be fundraising all day. There will be jumping castles for the kids, clowns and much more entertainment for spectators.