Queensland events benefit from funding boost
12-Jan-2018 The Palaszczuk Government will provide hundreds of thousands of dollars to dozens of regional events and festivals as part of a strategy to attract more visitors to Queensland.
Acting Tourism Industry Development Minister Shannon Fentiman said 32 events would be supported under round eight of Tourism and Events Queensland's Queensland Destination Events Program (QDEP).
"Regional events attract visitors, increase visitor spending, boost regional economies and support local jobs," she said.
"QDEP funding will support events from food, music and film festivals to sporting and cultural events that celebrate Queensland's people, lifestyle and idyllic destinations.
"Successful events in this round include the Townsville Triathlon Festival, the Quandamooka Festival, Surfers Paradise LIVE, the Birdsville Big Red Bash, the Keep the Flame of Culture Burning Festival and the Australian Body Art Festival.
"This funding boost will support event marketing, strategic development and go towards staff hire and event infrastructure."
Ms Fentiman said Queensland event's calendar was expected to be worth $780 million in 2018 and was vital to Queensland's economy.
"The Palaszczuk Government will continue to invest in Queensland's tourism industry and will increase QDEP funding from $2 million to $3 million from 2018-19," she said.
"This will support more events in regional Queensland communities, grow visitor numbers and help to support more regional jobs.
"An additional $30 million will be invested to secure new major events for Queensland over three years."
Applications for Round 9 of QDEP funding (external site) ( https://teq.queensland.com/events/events-support/queensland-destination-events-program ) are open until 7 February for events held between August 2018 and November 2019.
Successful QDEP round 8 events include:
|
|
Destination |
Date |
Funding Support |
|
Quandamooka Festival |
1 July - 30 September 2018 |
$25,000 |
|
|
Redcliffe KiteFest |
25-26 August 2018 |
$10,000 |
|
|
Scenic Rim Clydesdale Spectacular |
16-17 June 2018 |
$10,000 |
|
|
The Abbey Medieval Festival |
13-15 July 2018 |
$25,000 |
|
|
Childers Festival |
Bundaberg North Burnett |
26-29 July 2018 |
$18,300 |
|
Winterfeast |
Bundaberg North Burnett |
6-15 July 2018 |
$15,000 |
|
Rockhampton River Festival |
Capricorn |
13-15 July 2018 |
$20,000 |
|
The CQUniversity Capricorn Village Festival |
Capricorn |
10-12 August 2018 |
$20,000 |
|
Mary Poppins Festival |
Fraser Coast |
29 June - 8 July 2018 |
$10,000 |
|
Captain Cook 1770 Festival |
25-27 May 2018 |
$15,000 |
|
|
Cooly Rocks On |
6-10 June 2018 |
$50,000 |
|
|
Gold Coast Film Festival |
17-29 April 2018 |
$30,000 |
|
|
Surfers Paradise LIVE |
3-6 May 2018 |
$10,000 |
|
|
VIVA Surfers Paradise |
13-22 July 2018 |
$20,000 |
|
|
Mackay Mazda Festival of Arts |
1-31 July 2018 |
$10,000 |
|
|
Birdsville Big Red Bash |
Outback Queensland |
10-12 July 2018 |
$210,000 |
|
Boulia Camel Races |
Outback Queensland |
20-22 July 2018 |
$20,000 |
|
Easter in the Country Roma |
Outback Queensland |
29 March - 2 April 2018 |
$20,000 |
|
Winton's Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival |
Outback Queensland |
29 June - 7 July 2018 |
$60,000 |
|
Australian Camp Oven Festival |
Southern Queensland Country |
6-7 October 2018 |
$30,000 |
|
Easter Vintage Festival |
Southern Queensland Country |
31 March - 2 April 2018 |
$10,000 |
|
Jumpers and Jazz in July Festival |
Southern Queensland Country |
19-29 July 2018 |
$15,000 |
|
Australian Body Art Festival |
7-8 April 2018 |
$10,000 |
|
|
Goomeri Pumpkin Festival |
27 May 2018 |
$15,000 |
|
|
Mitchell Creek Rock N Blues Fest |
21-24 September 2018 |
$10,000 |
|
|
NOOSA Alive! |
20-29 July 2018 |
$10,000 |
|
|
Queensland Garden Expo |
13-15 July 2018 |
$25,000 |
|
|
Townsville Triathlon Festival |
Townsville North Queensland |
17-19 August 2018 |
$18,000 |
|
Cooktown Discovery Festival |
Tropical North Queensland |
15-17 June 2018 |
$10,000 |
|
Keep the Flame of Culture Burning Festival |
Tropical North Queensland |
2-7 July 2018 |
$10,000 |
|
Port Douglas Carnivale |
Tropical North Queensland |
25-27 May 2018 |
$25,000 |
|
Whitsunday Reef Festival |
The Whitsundays |
2-5 August 2018 |
$10,000 |
|
|
|
TOTAL |
$796,300 |
Source: Queensland Government