Don your Aussie gear and join us in Highfields to celebrate the Australian Spirit together on Australia Day, Sunday January 26th, Come Rain, Hail or Shine!
Australia’s national day of celebrations starts at 9.00am and continues through until 5.00pm at the Highfields Pioneer Village.
There are heaps of displays for the family to enjoy, with everything from artworks to bee keeping; whip cracking to cow milking and butter making.
See displays highlighting pioneer farming life on the Darling Downs with tinsmithing, silversmithing, pioneer toys, stationary engines and an animal nursery.
At noon, the lunchtime fiesta starts with traditional lessons in making damper followed by a dampermaking competition, more entertainment and most importantly – lunch.
The official ceremony starts at 2pm, with a Didgeridoo Performance by Don Nikkelson, raising of the flag by the local Scouts and the singing of the National Anthem. The local Australia Day awards presentations follow, and the dampermaking competition prize winner is also announced. The ceremony ends around 3:00pm with the singing of Waltzing Matilda and a feast of damper, billy tea and a delicious sausage sizzle.
What: Australia Day Celebrations
Where: Highfields Pioneer Village, 73 Wirraglen Road, Highfields
Time: 9am-5pm
Cost: Free, gold coin donations are welcome.
Contact:Ph (07) 4696 6309
Program:
9am: Pioneer Village Hall opening.
9.15am: Aboriginal art talks by curator Cheryl Moggs.
9.30am: Milking, separating and butter making.
10am: Working draft horses.
10.30am: Sheep shearing.
10.40am: Family games.
10.45am: Vince Little discusses the first ambulance.
11am: Rope making.
11.30am: Beekeeping demonstration.
Noon: Damper making display and comp followed by lunch and entertainment.
1pm: Jeff Close’s whip cracking school.
1.25pm: Family games.
1.30pm: Wheel tyring at blacksmith’s shop.
2pm: Australia Day ceremony. Didgeridoo performance – Don Nikkelson, flag raising, national anthem, welcome new citizens, guest speakers including Australia Day Ambassador Mrs Hetty Johnston, awards presentation
2.30-3.30pm: Free billy tea and damper, musical entertainment by Don Nikkelson and Stars and Idols.
Everyone is welcome, please forward this invitation to your family and friends and come and enjoy a day out at Hoghfields Pioneer Village and take in how our Australian pioneers lived.
NB: We now have a community hall onsite as our wet weather contingency plan!
Submitted by:
Jody Dodds
Treasurer
Highfields Pioneer Village, Museum and Park Inc.
07 4696 6309
Highfields Pioneer Village is a non-profit organisation run entirely by Volunteers, dedicated to preserving the history of the Darling Downs for future generations.
