WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Fringe World Festival
26 January 2012 to 19 February 2012
Location: Various Venues, Perth
Perth’s first full Fringe World Festival is set to explode in early 2012. Featuring over 150 plus shows brought to you by over 800 local and visiting artists from across the world of Fringe, the festival has a smorgasbord of entertainment on offer to tickle your taste buds. Alongside all the traditional and non-traditional venues that are part of the Fringe, there are three very exciting hubs for you to visit during the festival in 2012. The Treasury and Perth Town Hall hub in the heart of the Perth central business district; and the Perth Cultural Centre hub and the City of Perth Comedy Central hub in Northbridge. Fringe World kicks off on Australia Day with the ‘Four Day Weekend’ featuring special free programs and pop-up treats across the Fringe World hubs and beyond.
Kalbarri Canoe and Cray Carnival
02 June 2012 to 03 June 2012
Location: Kalbarri
The Canoe and Cray Carnival is a community event held annually over the Foundation Day long weekend for the past six years. This year also marks the 300th Anniversary of the Zuytdorp Wreck. In commemoration they will also be hosting the inaugural Zest festival. Zest is a combination of food and spice, reflecting the cargo the Zuytdorp was carrying when it was wrecked off Kalbarri’s coastline in June 1712. The key-note event of the weekend is the "Murchison Dash" a 16.5 kilometre canoe race from Murchison House Station, which attracts competitors from all over the state. There are also many other canoe races for adults and children, games and activities (Pirates of the Murchison 'street theatre' being very popular), food and bar, market stalls, fireworks, bonfire and live band entertainment. The list goes on so expect a fun weekend.
Perth International
18 October 2012 to 21 October 2012
Location: Karrinyup, Perth
The Perth International is a new addition to the international golf calendar. The tournament is a partnership between global sports, entertainment and media company IMG and Tourism Western Australia to deliver a world class sporting event in Perth. The Perth International will be co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia and the European Tour with leading international golfers vying for prize money of USD2 million, currently Australia’s richest annual golf tournament.
TASMANIA
Jackeys Marsh Forest Festival
03 February 2012 to 05 February 2012
Location: Meander
The Jackeys Marsh Forest Festival is a bi-annual environment, music and arts festival held in the picturesque valley of Jackeys Marsh. The festival is lucky enough to be situated with the magnificent backdrop of Quamby Bluff and the Great Western Tiers. The Festival is a family friendly event with three days and two nights of music from a large mix of musical genres featuring some very beautiful folk music, instrumentalists and also some totally rocking bands come late night. When you get there, you will find a vibrant market place, good quality low priced food options, wholesome children’s activities, a huge program of workshops and walks through the forest. The Festival is run mostly by a hard working team of volunteers and support from the wider community.The festival site is located in the valley of Jackeys Marsh, 16kms from the township of Deloraine and approximately 50 minutes by bus or car from Launceston and Devonport.
Tasmanian Red Wine Weekend
26 May 2012 to 27 May 2012
Location: Sullivans Cove Wharf, Hobart
On this special weekend, vignerons and wine makers from across Tasmania come together to pour their very best Pinot Noirs, Gamays, Cabernet Sauvignons, Merlots, Sparkling Reds, Rosés and more for you to try. So make your way to PW1 or Princes Wharf No. 1 to try the fabulous line up of over 70 different wines and meet and chat with the people who make them.
Seafarers Festival
21 October 2012
Location: Boardwalk Bellerive, Hobart
A unique action-packed free family event with activities and entertainment on and by the sea. Welcome aboard! Come along and enjoy the Seafarer's Festival, it's a dynamic day of activities for water lovers and landlubbers alike. Music, comedy, quirky water events, maritime and history stalls, competitions, children's activities, fine foods and wines and much more. Kids - dress up for the Seafarin' Costume Competition at 2.00pm!
NEW SOUTH WALES
Australian Open of Surfing
11 February 2012 to 19 Febraury 2012
Location: Manley Beach, Manley
Mix the world's best surfers with action sports, music, art, fashion & skateboarding all for free and all on Manly Beach and you get the Australian Open of Surfing! The ASP tour's best will hit Manly on February 11 to launch the country's biggest ever action sports and youth culture festival, the Australian Open of Surfing presented by Hurley and Billabong. Former world surfing champion Mark Occhilupo will make his return to competitive surfing alongside the likes of Joel Parkinson, Jordy Smith, Taj Burrows, Women's world No. 2 Sally Fitzgibbons and the majority of the women's surfing tour at this event! Skateboarding royalty Bucky Lasek and Bob Burnquist as well as Curren Caples will be competing in the Pro Skate Beach Bowl for their share in $50,000. The nine day festival will celebrate the best of Australian action sports, music, art and fashion and incorporate skateboarding and ASP-sanctioned Pro and Junior surfing tournaments. It's action sports event meets music festival meets the world surfing tour…And it's all free!
Shifting Sand
15 May 2012
Location: Bathurst
Discover the ocean's many faces with Graham Hilgendorf 'Shifting Sands' that is all about sounds, thunderous taiko drumming and dynamic dancing. Graham Hilgendorf is part of the TaikOz group that are notorious for not just making a visual and audio impact, but one that can be felt throughout your whole body.
Sculpture by the Sea
18 October 2012 to 04 November 2012
Location: Bondi Coastal Walk, Bondi
See the spectacular Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk, transformed into a 2km long temporary sculpture park, featuring over 100 sculptures by artists from across Australia and all over the world. Held since 1997, this free to the public exhibition captures the imagination of Sydney and its visitors for 3 weeks each spring and is established as the largest annual sculpture exhibition in the world.
VICTORIA
Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show
28 March 2012 to 01 April 2012
Location: Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton
The Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, at the World Heritage Listed Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens, is set to return with an explosion of colour and design and after 16 years still remains the biggest annual flower and garden show in the Southern Hemisphere! The 2012 Show will see the creativity and passion of Australia's top floral and landscape designers delivered in stunning displays as well as a strong environmental message for gardening in the climate we live in. Coupled with an extensive array of garden and floral retail products from rare and unusual plants to your old favourites, gardening tools to outdoor furniture, water tanks to floral art plus many new and innovative idea's for your garden, as well as great food and entertainment for the whole family, this is certainly a 'must see' event for all ages.
Melbourne International Film Festival
02 August 2012 to 19 August 2012
Location: Forum Theatre, Melbourne
The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) is an iconic Melbourne event with a devoted audience. MIFF hosts a feast of cinematic delicacies from over 50 countries for some 17 days each winter, heavily garnished with a range of parties and special events that envelop the CBD. In addition to screening the very best in world cinema, MIFF is Australia's largest showcase of new Australian cinema and most vocal champion of both emerging and established local filmmaking talent.
Melbourne Cup Carnival
03 November 2012 to 10 November 2012
Location: Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne
The Melbourne Cup Carnival is a week long celebration of racing, food and wine, fashion and entertainment. It's when fabulous Flemington becomes the corporate, social and sporting epicentre of Australia. The event not only captures the imagination of Melbournian's but attracts visitors nationwide and from all points of globe.
QUEENSLAND
Magnetic Island Adventurethon Multisport Festival
31 March 2012 to 01 April 2012
Location: Townsville Region
What better way to showcase the beautiful Magnetic Island National Park than by taking participants and spectators through its heart!Adventurethon Australia has created a wide variety of course options to sample paddling the spectacular rocky coastline inhabited by a large population of sea turtles.Mountain bike the challenging granite rock trails from one side of Magnetic Island to the other (an activity normally off limits in the Magnetic Island National Park).Trail run some of the best bush walking areas on the East coast of Australia including a number of historical trails overlooking picturesque bays including picnic bay, radical bay and horseshoe bay.A word of caution for the endurance athletes, don’t count on looking at the kilometres to estimate your time of completion, the course designers make sure they find physically demanding courses that challenge course entrants.
Noosa International Food & Wine Festival 2012
17 May 2012 to 20 May 2012
Location: Sunshine Coast Region
Recognised as the premier food and wine event in Australia, the Festival boasts an influential line-up of over 180 leading international and national chefs, iconic winemakers, high profile food and wine media, restaurateurs and serious foodies who converge on the magical setting of Noosa on Queensland's Sunshine Coast to taste, talk, debate, dine and indulge..... Noosa Style!
Armor All Gold Coast 600
19 October 2012 to 21 October 2012
Location: Gold Coast
First appearing on the Australian motorsport calendar in 1991 as an IndyCar event, the Gold Coast Street Circuit is a high speed, concrete-lined thrill ride.The layout allow of this year's race allows spectators greater on-track action and more entertainment opportunities and reduced the length of set-up and take down of the track by approximately five weeks in total.The Armor All Gold Coast 600 is a family-friendly event, with off-track entertainment providing something for everyone.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Adelaide Cabaret Festival
08 June 2012 to 23 June 2012
Location: Adelaide
All under the one roof at South Australia’s creative heart, the Adelaide Festival Centre, you can experience the Adelaide Cabaret Festival every June beginning on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend. Over the last eleven years the Festival has become a major event in the international and Australian arts calendar, as the most comprehensive cabaret festival in the world with a reputation of highlighting the best local, national and international artists in the cabaret genre, with classic and contemporary cabaret performances. In 2012 the Adelaide Festival Centre will present its twelfth annual Adelaide Cabaret Festival under the Artistic Directorship of award winning singer and songwriter Kate Ceberano.
Moon Lantern Festival
30 September 2012
Location: Adelaide
The soul of the OzAsia Festival. On the 15th day of the eighth month in the Lunar calendar, gather your family and friends to admire the full moon and think of absent loved ones. Celebrate the Asian mid-autumn harvest and eat moon cakes. Enjoy diverse performances on the main stage by local Asian community groups followed by a stunning Moon Lantern Parade at dusk and fireworks. This is a free family event.
Moonta Open Gardens Festival
13 October 2012 to 14 Ocotber 2012
Location: Moonta
The Moonta Open Gardens Festival has been popular for a number of years. It was moved recently from the October Holiday weekend which proved a wise decision. Not conflicting with school holidays, and other holiday weekend activities meant that buses were able to bring visitors from out of town, and more locals were free to participate. Visitor numbers consequently increased. Comparing how gardeners have dealt with water restrictions by planting water wise plants that still are beautiful is always of interest. Each year new gardens are opened with about a dozen for this Festival. It’s a wonderful time for roses! Come along for a relaxing day (or two) and visit some interesting and unusual gardens, several of which will have refreshments, trading tables with produce and plants, benefiting local community organisations and charities.
NORTHERN TERRITORY
Bass In The Grass
26 May 2012
Location: Darwin
It’s the day every young Territorian looks forward to, a day to have fun in the sun. The day we are talking about of course is BASSINTHEGRASS, an institution now in its ninth year proudly brought to the people of Darwin by the Northern Territory Government.On Saturday 26 May 2012 the Darwin Amphitheatre will stage an enormous line-up of Australia’s hottest artists. In 2011, The Presets, Birds of Tokyo and Sneaky Sound System captivated 7500 revellers whilst Justice Crew, The Potbelleez and local lads Ned and Friends stirred the frenzy all afternoon.
Rotary Club of Darwin North Championship Rodeo
17 August 2012 to 18 August 2012
Location: Darwin
Dust, daring deeds and determination will once again herald the 2012 Darwin Championship Rodeo presented by the Rotary Club of Darwin North. The rodeo is staged at Robbie Robbins Reserve at Berrimah over two exciting nights of skills, thrills and spills on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 August 2012 commencing at 6pm sharp. Some of Australia’s leading riders are drawn to Darwin to match their skills against these beasts. Eight seconds of raw courage is the required time needed for these bareback bull riders to ‘master’ the bull in the open bull ride section. There’ll be food and drink stalls available on both nights as well as plenty of entertainment for the kids. And of course, the ever-reliable and brave rodeo clown(s) will be there.
Alice Springs Masters Games
13 October 2012 to 20 October 2012
Location: Alice Springs
In the early 1980’s the Australian Sports Commission first suggested an idea of a masters games and the philosophy of masters sport. The development of masters sport included an underlying belief that each participant is a champion in his or her own right, as long as the physical and mental attributes for each stage of life have been maintained at their optimum levels. Participation in sport is a lifelong activity. That is why masters sports contain fun, camaraderie and good-spirited competition. That is why the Alice Springs Masters Games adventure continues in 2012.
