Fraser Coast

Events Attraction

Prospectus72 Tavistock Street, Hervey Bay Q 4655PO Box 1943, Hervey Bay Q 4655P 1300 79 49 29 F 07 4197 4455www.frasercoast.qld.gov.au

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Welcome to the Fraser Coast regionThe Fraser Coast region encompasses an area of over 7,000 square kilometres in South East Queensland. The twin cities of Maryborough and Hervey Bay service our nearly 100,000 residents, while the rural communities of Tiaro and Woocoo provide a ‘tree change’ lifestyle.

The Fraser Coast is the ideal location and tourism destination to host eventsEvents play an important role in the cultural, social and economic development of a region. A lively regional events calendar provides an opportunity for bringing communities together, celebrating our region’s diversity and fostering a shared sense of place for the region.

The Fraser Coast is where nature comes aliveThe Fraser Coast is a stunning tapestry of nature’s wonders uniting the iconic World Heritage-listed Fraser Island and the Great Barrier Reef. The calm protected waters of Hervey Bay offer a natural playground for thousands of majestic Humpback Whales providing the worlds best up close and personal whale watching experience from late July to early November each year. The beauty of the Great Sandy Strait and its coastal villages are complimented by a stunning coastline of pristine, white sandy beaches. The splendour of the Fraser Coast is not only confined to the coast, with inspiring heritage in Maryborough along with national parks, native woodlands, heath and dense rainforest and the beautiful Mary River combining the best of the Fraser Coast Hinterland including Tiaro and Bauple. As part of the UNESCO recognised Great Sandy Biosphere, the region’s unique and diverse natural attractions are officially recognised in the same class as the Galapagos Islands and Central Amazon.

Fraser Coast - a year round aquatic playgroundHervey Bay’s safe sheltered stinger-free waters make it an aquatic paradise perfect for year round swimming, diving, sailing, fishing and water sports. Dotted along the 14km Esplanade are alfresco, cosmopolitan cafés, shops, parklands, picnic areas, playgrounds, piers and a vibrant marina.

The Hervey Bay Foreshore provides the ideal backdrop and base for events. The Urangan Harbour provides uninterrupted views, with a spectacular backdrop of Fraser Island and the Great Sandy Straits. The harbour and slipway is surrounded by clubs, restaurants and cafes and a business precinct supportive of hosting events and providing complimentary entertainment. The area boasts quality accommodation options, substantial parking space as well as access to mechanical and engineering services and fuel supplies.

Spectators will be able to watch from many vantage points stretching from the harbour to the end of the Urangan Pier - which juts out 800 metres into Hervey Bay - including Dayman Point and adjacent beaches.

Alternatively, the Hervey Bay foreshore provides another option - stretching 14 kilometres from the Urangan Harbour to Gatakers Bay at Point Vernon. This choice offers ample space for thousands of spectators to have uninterrupted views. The ocean side of the Esplanade is public parkland - offering unrestricted parking for spectators.

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The business precincts of Urangan, Torquay, Scarness and Pialba have a proven record of working cooperatively with Council and event organisers to host and stage complimentary entertainment and event programs.

Appendix 1 provides more information on our precinct facilities and capacity options. Go to page 8.

Accommodation to suit every budgetSomething that has never changed on the Fraser Coast is the casual and relaxed lifestyle that entices visitors to return year after year.From 5-star luxury resorts, family holiday parks, private villas or cabins, affordable self- contained apartments, quaint B&B’s, private holiday houses to backpacker villages and hostels, there is something to suit everyone’s needs and budgets on the Fraser Coast. Fraser Coast region offers approximately 12,000 beds and boasts a wide range of accommodation options catering for all tastes and budgets.

For more information on accommodation options: www.visitfrasercoast.com/accommodation

Easy Access and a great ClimateThe Fraser Coast is not only nature’s perfect year round aquatic playground - it’s also the ideal playground to stage events.

The Fraser Coast is an easy 3 ½ hour drive from Brisbane and is well serviced by air, rail and coach links.

• By Road: Brisbane - Maryborough (255 kms)

• By Air: Brisbane - Hervey Bay 45mins - Qantas Link, 3 times daily Sydney - Hervey Bay 1hr 50mins - Virgin Blue, daily Qantas, weekend flights

• By Coach: Premier and Greyhound Coaches provide north and southbound services daily to Maryborough and Hervey Bay

• By Rail: Brisbane - Maryborough (Tilt Train 3hr 30m) Twice daily Sunday to Friday

The Fraser Coast enjoys an enviable sub-tropical climate, which averages a warm 30° C in summer and 22° C in the winter.

Generally, the amount of rain days and rainfall on the Fraser Coast peaks during the north Queensland cyclone season around mid-February each year.

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Host to major events • Australian Offshore Superboat Championships

• 2013 Ulysses AGM – 3,500 participants

• Junior State Cup Touch Championships - 6,000 participants and visitors

• Scouts Jamboree - 12,000 participants plus visitors

• Relish and Pub Fest

• Qld Music Teachers Conference

• Mary Poppins and Maryborough Open House

• State Surf Life Saving events including the State IRB Carnival, Annual Masters Carnival and regional junior and senior carnivals

• The iconic ‘Pier to Pub’ Ocean Swim

• Major rotational sporting and cultural based events

Events promoted and managed by our clubs and community groups are well regarded by competitors and spectators alike; which has seen a growth in participation numbers in events managed by local community groups, sporting clubs and association.

Media PartnersTo ensure maximum exposure with all events managed and promoted on the Fraser Coast the Fraser Coast Regional Council and Fraser Coast Opportunities can assist with establishing strategic media partnerships, if required.

All local media partners are united and committed to the support of our efforts during our quest to secure significant events such as the Junior State Cup.

Media support can be arranged for prior and during to ensure your event receives significant promotion and coverage.

Media within the Fraser Coast and Wide Bay Burnett region includes:

• Television Channel 7, Southern Cross Austereo News Network, WIN TV.

• Print Fraser Coast Chronicle, Hervey Bay Observer; Hervey Bay Independent, Maryborough Herald.

• Radio Sea FM, Mix FM, ABC Radio Wide Bay, Fraser Coast Community Radio, Rhema and Kix FM

Support and Assistance

• Sponsorship SupportFinancial support may be available for events that meet specific assessment criteria as defined in the Fraser Coast Regional Events Strategy 2020.

• Marketing SupportWe can help support and market your event through feature listings on destination websites and advertising throughout VICs and our enewsletter. We can also create media releases and provide assistance with developing package offers for visitors.

• Logistics Support We may help logistically by offering event waste bin servicies; waiver of venue hire fees; assistance with road closure permits; use of mobile electricity boxes. • Other Support

Assistance with major event bids and supply of regional promotional material for inclusion e.g. promotional photography and written information on local tourism and other services and attractions.

Visit www.frasercoastopportunities.com.au/event or www.frasercoast.qld.gov.au

The Fraser Coast a perfect hostThe Fraser Coast is an ideal location for all events with an outgoing population who love to live life out and about, as well as being an easy draw-card to convince visitors to attend. Have a little look deeper and you will find the facilities and the solutions to make your event a success.

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Conference and Convention FacilitiesThe Fraser Coast has an extensive range of venues to suit all types of meetings and conferences.           • The Brolga Riverside Theatre and Conference Centre, Maryborough

One of the region’s leading conference venues, with three spaces plus breakout areas to cater for nine to 900 people. Situated on the banks of the beautiful Mary River within the heritage precinct of Portside, the centre also has extensive grounds for external display and entertainment.

For more information on facilities and capacity options go to page 9

Showground and Equestrian Facilities• The Maryborough Showgrounds and Equestrian Centre

This facility was host to 12,000 Scouts for the 2013 Scout Jamboree. Located on the Bruce Highway north of Maryborough and only three hours drive from Brisbane it hosts a range of major national, state and community events throughout the year. Set on over 105 hectares it features pavillions, grandstands, canteens, a bar and catering facilities. It is ideal for conventions, expos, concerts, festivals, markets, concerts and camps and has first-class equestrian facilities for competitions, training, harness and trail riding with a covered arena, show ring, campdraft, cross country course, racetrack, stockyards and 200 horse stable. Powered sites and amenities are available for caravans, motorhomes and large vehicles.

Visit the Maryborough Showground and Equestrian Centre Website to see what events will be happening soon! 

Recreation and Sporting FacilitiesThe Fraser Coast is home to a range sporting fields capable of hosting National and State Championships. Our linear foreshore is scattered with open space and park facilities allowing great views for spectators. There is also a state-of-the-art Aquatic Facility with indoor and outdoor heated pools.

For more information on facilities and capacity options go to page 10

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Food and DiningThe Fraser Coast region abounds in quaint country cafes and pubs, boutique and arty espresso bars, beachfront alfresco cafés, fine dining restaurants and traditional fish and chip shops.

The Fraser Coast is also home to old fashioned lolly shops, gourmet ice-cream, exotic jams and macadamia nut specialities. Whether by the ocean, river, lake, island or sidewalk, you can enjoy an amazing range of gourmet delights where there is something delicious to suit even the most discerning taste buds.

Regional and cosmopolitan cuisine is bountiful throughout the Fraser Coast, which is quickly becoming renowned as a food and coffee mecca to both local and visiting foodies. Many chefs prefer to use regional produce supporting local growers and fishermen, as well as showcasing the high quality of local and regional produce.

In market stalls, on restaurant dinner plates and in local stores and gift shops, you will find mouth-watering local produce. Seafood is the centrepiece of our food scene, including Hervey Bay scallops and succulent prawns harvested from local waters, which can be bought cooked or fresh at retail outlets or enjoyed at local restaurants, prepared to perfection.

For more information on food and dining options: www.visitfrasercoast.com/restaurants

Must do experiences • Discover History

Maryborough’s living history is captured in beautiful old homes and buildings, outstanding museums, iconic historical characters and events, festivals and ghostly tours.

• Discover Fraser IslandJust over an hour by road and barge from Maryborough, Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world and the only place on earth where rainforests grow on sand.

• Discover Mary PoppinsVisit the Mary Poppins statue outside the heritage listed bank building where the author P.L. Travers was born in 1899. Dress up and join in the Mary Poppins Festival in July 2008.

• Discover Art and CultureTake in a show at the Brolga Theatre or view a stunning display of public and streetscape art along Maryborough’s inner city streets and the Mary River Parklands. Maryborough’s lively restaurant and café scene offers a range of dining options.

• Discover a Marine WonderlandNo visit to the Fraser Coast region is complete without a trip to the Great Sandy Strait, a marine wonderland home to several rare species of fauna and offering some of Australia’s best fishing and boating.

Stay Longer and explore the Fraser CoastThe Fraser Coast has been blessed with some of Australia’s most stunning natural attractions that provide the backdrop for a huge range of activities that will suit all ages.

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• Discover WhalesEach year from late July through to early November, the mighty humpback whales take time out from their annual migration to rest and play in the protected waters of Hervey Bay. It’s a time to celebrate these magnificent mammals of the deep and there is no better place to experience their antics and their awesome size.

• Discover FishingHervey Bay offers plenty of fishing opportunities. Drop a line off the long Pier, throw one off the beach, manoeuvre your line off the rocky outcrops in Point Vernon or go knee deep down Eli Creek. Burrum River also offers a variety of species, and Toogoom is also a favourite for the fisherman. For the bigger one’s try a sportfishing charter or hire a tinnie or canoe.

• Discover the Calm WatersLove your water activities? We have plenty to choose from - hop on a jet ski tour to Fraser Island, stay dry on a glass-bottom boat trip, cruise at sunset on a luxury catamaran, kayak or canoe on the calm waters, holiday on a houseboat or spot the dolphins, dugongs and turtles on a high-speed thrill ride.

• Discover by AirFly over Fraser Island and the Great Sandy Strait in a helicopter, light aircraft, a tiger moth, or even a microlite. Beach land on 75 Mile Beach on Fraser Island or take a scenic flight to the tip end of the Great Barrier Reef and discover Lady Eliott Island.

• Discover Nature Relax and enjoy 16 kilometres of long, white sandy beaches. We have one of the safest swimming beaches in Queensland. Take a walk through the Botanic Gardens or visit the Vine Forest Walk and Arkarra Lagoons. Cycle on a bike built for one, two or four along the foreshore and get in touch with nature - bring your bucket and spade.

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Appenix 1: Large Conference and Convention Facilities

Facility/VenueSeat Capacity

Public Amenities

Parking AccommodationConference

facilitiesIn-house catering

Theatre Banquet CocktailBoard Room

Brolga Theatre ≤ 900 ≤ 350 ≤ 350 ≤ 25 • • MB or HB • •

Hervey Bay RSL ≤ 400 ≤ 260 ≤ 350 ≤ 30 • • Within 2km • •

Hervey Bay Boat Club

≤ 300 ≤ 200 ≤ 350 ≤ 20 • • Within 100m • •

Beach House ≤ 500 ≤ 450 ≤ 500 N/A • • Within 2km • •

Ocean Resort and Spa

≤ 250 ≤ 180 ≤ 40 ≤ 90 • • • • •

Police Citizen Youth Centre

≤ 800 ≤ 500 ≤ 1,000 ≤ 30 • • Within 2km • •

Carriers Arms Hotel Motel

≤ 300 N/A N/A N/A • • • • •

Kingfisher Bay Resort

≤ 300 ≤ 180 ≤ 300 ≤180 • • • • •

Mantra Resort ≤ 200 ≤ 140 ≤ 300 N/A • • • • •

Maryborough City Hall

≤ 800 ≤ 250 ≤ 800 ≤ 60 • • MB or HB • N/A

Rivera Resort N/A ≤ 120 ≤ 200 ≤ 60 • • • • •

Susan River Homestead

≤ 170 ≤ 130 ≤ 200 ≤130 • • • • •

Sportsmen’s Club Hervey Bay

≤ 320 ≤ 300 ≤ 400 N/A • • Within 2km • •

University of Southern Qld

≤ 175 N/A ≤ 100 ≤ 50 • • Within 2km • N/A

Wide Bay Motel & Conference Centre

≤ 120 ≤ 80 ≤ 100 ≤ 30 • • • • •

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Appenix 2: Event Precinct Facilities

Facility/Venue CapacityPublic

AmenitieParking Accommodation

Restaurants and Dining

Stage or Pavilion

LightingPark and

Picnic Facilities

Tourist attractions or

activitiesMarkets

Urangan Harbour Large >4,000 • • • • • • • • •

Urangan Pier Park

Medium (2000-4000)

• • • • • • • • •

Torquay Precinct

Large >4,000 • • • • • • • • •

Scarness Precinct

Medium (2000-4000)

• • • • • • • • •

Pialba Precinct: Cultural Centre – Freedom Park

Medium (2000-4000)

• • Within 1 km N/A • • • • N/A

Portside Precinct Large >4,000 • • MB or HB • • • • • •

Seafront Oval and All Abilities

Large >4,000 • • Within 1 km N/A • • • • N/A

Botanic Gardens Large >4,000 • • Within 1 km N/A • N/A • • N/A

Queens Park Large >4,000 • • MB or HB • N/A N/A • • N/A

City Hall Green Small < 2,000 • • MB or HB • • • • • •

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Appendix 3`: Sporting Facilities

Sport Facilities

Aquatic

Hervey Bay Aquatic Centre50m outdoor pool (8 lanes), 25m heated covered, 15m indoor heated, kids play lagoon

Maryborough Aquatic Centre 50m outdoor pool (8 lanes), 25m heated outdoor, 15m indoor heated, kids play

Rugby League / Union

Eskdale Park, Maryborough 2 fields, grandstand and lights

Hervey Bay Sports and Leisure Park - Stafford Park, Hervey Bay

2 senior fields, 2 junior fields with lights and perimeter fencing

Walkers Road Recreation Reserve, Hervey Bay 2 fields with lights and warm up fields

Football (Socer)

Federation Park, Maryborough 4 senior fields (2 fields with lighting), 2 junior fields and a clubhouse

Hervey Bay United Soccer Club Inc 2 fields with lighting and a clubhouse (licenced)

Hervey Bay Sports and Leisure Park3 fields with lights and clubhouse

Touch

Hervey Bay Touch Association Inc (Hervey Bay United Soccer Club)

4 x touch fields with lights and amenities

Maryborough Touch Association (Maryborough West Soccer Club)

5 x touch fields, canteen toilets, administration building

Hockey

McFie Park, Tavistock St, Hervey Bay 4 x grass fields (update for artificial turf)

Maryborough & District Hockey Association 1 x wet artificial surface and 3 x grass fields

Basketball

Maryborough Basketball Association 1 indoor court and 2 outdoor courts

Hervey Bay PCYC 3 indoor courts

Cricket

Newtown Oval; Maryborough 3 turf wickets

Walkers Road Recreation Reserve, Hervey Bay 2 turf and 2 artificial wicket

Raward Road Recreation Park, Hervey Bay 1 turf wicket

Netball

Hervey Bay Netball Association 6 hard courts

Maryborough Netball Association 4 hard courts, 2 grass

AFL

Ocean Reef Park, Maryborough 1 oval, lights, a small clubhouse

Raward Road Recreation Park - NE McLean Oval, Hervey Bay

1 oval, lights and a clubhouse

Walkers Road Recreation Reserve - Keith Dunne Oval, Hervey Bay

1 oval, lights and a clubhouse

Softball

Maryborough Softball 2 Diamonds

Hervey Bay Softball Association4 diamonds with lights

Tennis

Hervey Bay & District Tennis Association Inc 4 hard courts and 8 grass courts;

Maryborough & District Junior Tennis Association 6 grass courts, 5 hard courts and 5 clay courts

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Equestrian

• Dundowran Equestrian Park

• Maryborough Showgrounds and Equestrian Park

• Torbanlea Recreation Reserve

Sailing

• Hervey Bay Yacht Squadron

• Maryborough Sailing Club, Hervey Bay

• Hervey Bay Sailing Club

Surf Lifesaving

• Hervey Bay Surf Life Saving Club

Motorsport

• Maryborough Speedway

• Maryborough Showgrounds and Equestrian Park

• Hervey Bay Motocross

• Action Park,Maryborough

Athletics

• Hervey Bay Athletics Club

• Burrum District Little Athletics Club

• Maryborough Amateur Athletics

BMX

• Maryborough BMX

Gymnastics

• Hervey Bay PCYC

• Maryborough Gym Sports

• Wide Bay Gymnastics Centre

Shooting

• Fraser Coast Shooting Complex

• Maryborough Clay Target Club & Maryborough Gun Club

• Tiaro & District Sports Club Range

Tourism I Events I Marketing I Enterprise

PO Box 488, Hervey Bay Q 4655P 07 4191 2600 www.frasercoastopportunities.com.au

72 Tavistock Street, Hervey Bay Q 4655PO Box 1943, Hervey Bay Q 4655P 1300 79 49 29 F 07 4197 4455www.frasercoast.qld.gov.au