Shady Rest Motel

Each year the beautiful and normally peaceful Amamoor Creek State Forest Park provides the perfect setting for this quintessential Aussie event, with over 50 hectares of well maintained, planned camping facilities, plenty of hot showers and toilets, and a central entertainment precinct. Located 40-kilometres south-west of Gympie, it’s an easy drive 2-hours north of Brisbane, just 40-minutes from stunning Noosa and heritage listed Fraser Island. The 20-minute forest drive from Amamoor is easily accessible by all vehicle types, with several creek crossings easily negotiated… just watch for meandering cows!

The entertainment precinct itself boasts multiple on-site venues each hosting its own array of talent during the four-day festival.  Main Stage is set within a natural amphitheatre under the forest canopy and the remaining venues are housed under large marquee structures to ensure you enjoy the entertainment whatever the weather.

23 – 26^th August 2018

Call: 07 5482 2099

Ticket sales/enquiries: 1300 438 849

Visit: www.muster.com.au

Carlo Sand Blow is a unique "moonscape" sand mass covering over 15 hectares and overlooks the towering coloured sands and the coastline from Double Island Point to Inskip Peninsula and the southern tip of Fraser Island. Locals and visitors take the easy 600 metre nature walk from Cooloola Drive in the afternoon to take in the sun setting over Tin Can Bay and the Great Sandy Strait. This track is also the entrance to the Cooloola Great Walk.

Travel straight into town on Rainbow Beach Road and then turn right at the bottom by the Surf Club into Wide Bay Esplanade. At the end of the campsite, where the road doubles back and becomes Ocean View Parade are the steps for the start of the walk.

Visit: http://www.visitgympieregion.com.au

Set in the beautiful gardens of Lake Alford, the Museum celebrates over 100 years of Gold mining history and an important and colourful history, from being cited as the "Town that saved Queensland from Bankruptcy" to being the home of Andrew Fisher, Labor's second Prime Minister.

The Museum houses a vast collection of documentation, artefacts and photographs dating from the discovery of gold in 1867 by James Nash to the recently closed  operations of the Gympie Eldorado Goldmine.

Great picnic grounds and BBQ areas surround the museum, so you can bring your own lunch and relax by the lake or dine in the cafés at the park.

Open daily 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. (Except Good Friday & Christmas Day)

Visit: www.museum.gympiegoldmuseum.com.au

In the 1950’s, an injured dolphin beached himself on the sand at Barnacles Cafe. The locals took pity on him and started to feed him. This dolphin was well battle scarred and became known as ‘Old Scarry’. Once he was well enough, Old Scarry returned to the wild but regularly returned to the bay to visit the locals and enjoy a free meal.

Today, the Barnacles Dolphin Centre offers its visitors a wonderful and rare opportunity to interact with these beautiful Australian Humpback dolphins.

A wild pod of 9 Humpbacks led by the Alpha Male Mystique, visits daily between 7- 8am for supervised feeding sessions with small groups of visitors.

Book in advance for this once in a lifetime adventure.

Location: Follow Tin Can Bay Road all the way to Norman Point. The Barnacles Dolphin Centre and Cafe is located to the left of the boat launching ramp at Norman Point. There is a "Special Car Parking Area for Dolphin Feeding" at the rear of the swimming pool, and then it is just a short walk over to the Dolphin Feeding Centre.

Cost: $5 entry and $5 for fish

Visit: http://www.barnaclesdolphins.com.au/

For the whole month of May, foodies get the chance to satisfy their tastes and celebrate Gympie Region's local produce, dining and food experiences.

The 2017 line up included cooking demonstrations featuring local produce by Gympie Region's official Food and Food Tourism Ambassador, Matt Golinski, the 5Chef's Long Table Lunch, Goomeri Pumpkin Festival, Gympie Show, Gympie Garden Expo and much more.

Restaurants in the region also got on board, displaying the Gympie Gold Regional Produce symbol on menus and signature GourMAY dishes that celebrated the theme of explore, taste and experience.

Visit: gympie.qld.gov.au/greatgympie or the Gympie Regional Council's Facebook page.

Rush Festival is a celebration of creativity, arts, culture and heritage that ignites the Gympie region with colour, music, dance, art, theatre, film, poetry and fun throughout the month of October. The Festival’s diverse collaborative program creatively entwines grassroots events and celebrations with the internationally acclaimed Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival, Gold Rush Festival, and Widgee Bush Balladeers.

From art competitions, masterclasses, and debates to theatre, concerts, comedy acts, and family fun there is something for everyone to enjoy and experience during Rush Festival.

The festival welcomes people from all walks of life to enjoy, engage, create, learn, grow, film, play, act, dance, sing and connect in the Gympie region.

In 2017 the Gympie Region is marked its 150th anniversary since the discovery of gold by James Nash. Originally discovered in October 1867, this particular month is also widely recognised as the founding date of the Gympie Township.

Come for a day or stay for the month to truly engage and appreciate this unique region during the Rush Festival.

Visit: http://www.rushfestival.com.au/

You’ll find original artworks, sculptures, furniture, handmade toys, homewares, and skincare, as well as cutting edge fashion and jewellery by local designers, all guided by an ethos of “we make it, bake it, grow it, sew it”.  

If you’re a foodie, you’ll especially love this market …laksa, calamari, thai, paella, quality coffee, chocolate, great cakes, old fashioned lemonade, and more. There is also a wealth of fresh produce – including fresh fruit and vegetables, freshly baked breads, locally made cheeses and yoghurts.

And, when you need a break from the shopping, sit back and be entertained by a stellar line-up of performers guaranteed to get you in the groove. There’s plenty of local talent to keep you entertained, with world-music sounds, country tunes and tribal rhythms. 

You can also have your palm read or indulge in a vast array of services offered by a range of health and wellbeing practitioners.

Open: Wednesday 8am - 1.30pm & Saturdays 7am - 2pm

Visit: www.eumindimarkets.com.au

Renowned as one of the oldest festivals in Gympie, the popular Gympie Show is a great family event that has run for over 100 years. With a number of entertainment options including, exhibits, rodeos and fireworks, the show offers an amazing experience for all.

With fresh local food at a huge range of food stalls and shows scheduled throughout the day, there is so much to see and do. Check out some of the live musical performances, or head down to the rodeo or to the main arena for the grand parade. Watch show jumping, dog agility competitions or check out machinery alley where you can watch fire rescue, tractor-pull and a huge range of historical cars and hot-rods.

For kids, there are heaps of rides and sideshow alley with a variety of carnival games. Kids can take part in the Young Farmers Challenge in the main arena and then pick up a show bag or two and settle in for the fireworks at night.

Venue: Gympie Showgrounds

Date: May 17-19 2018

Visit: www.gympieshow.com.au or www.sunshinecoastpoint.com.au/events/gympie-show/

The Gympie Regional Gallery is housed in the beautiful and original School of Arts Building, built in 1905.

It is a community-oriented gallery, celebrating its own professional and amateur artists, as well as displaying a range of high quality exhibitions from around Australia.

The Gallery actively promotes the development of the arts as an integral part of the lives and industry of the local community bringing educational opportunities, cultural enrichment, economic and social benefits to the entire region.

Their vision is for the Gallery to be recognised by the region, as providing the community with accessible and exciting art, encouraging local artists and adding to the region's tourism potential.

Location: 39 Nash Street, Gympie

Open: Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm

Visit: https://www.gympie.qld.gov.au/gallery