Adjournment Debate – Community events

Mr PITT: I rise to update the Federation Chamber on the fact that it’s carnival time in my electorate of Hinkler and one of the main drivers and the main reasons is that, in terms of the weather, the score is Hervey Bay 21 degrees, Canberra 14. There are a lot of opportunities for individuals to come to the bay and into Bundaberg and surrounds and enjoy themselves with things like the Cane2Coral Fun Run or Walk on Sunday 4 August. It is the 10-year anniversary of the Cane2Coral fun run. It’s been a great local charity fundraiser for us. It’s a fantastic opportunity. You can run or you can walk. You can do four kilometres, 10 kilometres or 21.1 kilometres—I’ve got to say it’s some time since I’ve run four kilometres, 10 kilometres or 21.1 kilometres. All profits from the Bundaberg Sugar Cane2Coral go back into the local community, to our local charities. We have raised $483,105 plus nearly $44,000 from the GoFundMe pages, bringing the grand total to $527,017 in the last 10 years. That is a fantastic effort, and the organisers and the supporters and the sponsors, particularly Bundaberg Sugar, should be acknowledged, recognised and supported. The course takes participants past the iconic cane fields and finishes at Nielson Park in Bargara, the home of Bundaberg Surf Life Saving Club, where I spent plenty of time as a younger member.

Not to be left out, it’s also whale festival time. It’s whale season in Hervey Bay. The best place in Australia to see the whales is the bay between Fraser Island and the mainland. The Hervey Bay Whale Festival started with the blessing of the fleet on 27 July and continues this weekend with the whale parade and the paddle-out on Saturday. Get yourself to Hervey Bay, and you can have a paddle out on the calm waters of Hervey Bay in the beautiful weather. The whale festival parade and concert is on from four o’clock until 8.30 at Seafront Oval. There will be live entertainment, carnival rides, market stalls and more. The parade starts at half past five and the fireworks at 8.30. On Sunday, 4 August, is the Paddle Out for Whales. It is a paddle into the ocean out for a minute’s silence to recognise the importance of the oceans and whales to the world and, in particular, the Fraser Coast. The paddle-out runs from Torquay jetty and Ernie Organ Park from 9.30 am to 1 pm. Paddlers will enter the water at 10.40. There will be music, markets, face painting for the kids and everything else you could possibly think of.

The whale festival will continue next weekend with the Fraser Coast Kite Carnival on Saturday 10 August at Pier Park in Urangan. It will run from 9.30 am to 1.30. Novelty kites in the shape of manta rays, whales, octopuses and other sea creatures will be flown. There will be kids’ rides, food stalls and market stalls for everyone to enjoy. One shouldn’t have a favourite, but I probably do. It’s the world famous Hervey Bay Seafood Festival on Sunday 11 August. Get yourself down there and catch up with all of our local seafood. It’s the only seafood festival in Australia managed by the men and women who catch it for you, our local seafood and producer community. Bring a chair or picnic blanket and celebrate, relax and feast with the seafood industry in Fishermen’s Park in Urangan. It is a great showcase. Get down there and get your ocean king prawns and your Hervey Bay scallops; get all the good fish from the barrier reef and surrounds. It’s a wonderful opportunity and is utilised by lots of local representatives.

On a more serious note, next weekend will be the Relay For Life in Bundaberg, on Saturday 10 August. The theme for this year is musicals. As we all know in this place, Relay For Life is a fun and moving experience that raises vital funds for the Cancer Council’s research, prevention, information and support services. The relay is a chance for the Bundaberg community to recognise and celebrate local cancer survivors, patients and their carers, to honour and remember loved ones lost to cancer and to raise money to help save more lives.

I acknowledge the passing of my good mate, Michael McGaw, a former member of the Bundaberg Surf Life Saving Club. He was the king of the Relay For Life in recent times, and unfortunately lost his battle with cancer in recent months.

The opening ceremony will be at two o’clock. There’s a candlelight ceremony at six. So far 42 teams have registered, would you believe, with 436 participants. Relay For Life began in Australia in 1999 in the Victorian community of Murrumbeena and raised over $75,000 for the Cancer Council. Those relays are now held in every Australian state and territory, with more than 134,000 participants. They raise over $14 million every year. Every dollar goes towards funding Cancer Council’s vital research, prevention and support programs, many of which help people in our community and your community every single day.

One last note, 24 August is Oceanfest at Burnett Heads, hosted by the Rotary Club of Bundaberg Sunrise. If you want seafood, if you want to have a great time, if you want beautiful weather, get yourself up to the Hinkler electorate. There are just so many opportunities.