Gympie Gold Rush Festival

The 2026 Revival!

Gympie Gold Rush Festival Incorporated is a Queensland not-for-profit association established in 2026 to revive and deliver a major annual community festival celebrating Gympie’s heritage, identity, and regional spirit. Guided by our motto ‘Regionally Rich, Locally Loved’, we exist to create inclusive, accessible, and community-focused events that strengthen local pride, encourage participation across generations, and positively contribute to the culture of Gympie. The Festival is led by an amazing volunteer committee that operates with a clear commitment to sound governance, responsible financial management, and community benefit.

The Gympie Gold Rush Festival acknowledges and celebrates the discovery of gold in the Gympie region by James Nash in October 1867, which ostensibly prevented the state of Queensland from bankruptcy. Since that time, Gympie has been known as the ‘town that saved Queensland’ and between 1867 and 1927 Gympie was one of the richest and highest-grade goldfields in the world.

In a speech in the Federal Chamber on 27 November 2025, Llew O’Brien, MP (Member for Wide Bay) noted that the ‘Gympie Gold Rush Festival was established to celebrate this incredible history and the role of the gold rush, and it played in shaping Queensland’. He also stated that ‘the festival brought the community together’ and ‘local businesses, schools and community groups all chipped in to create a lively mix of entertainment and activities that honoured Gympie’s colourful past and showed off just how vibrant the town is today.’

In 2026, the Organising Committee revived the Festival from a six-year hiatus and aims to bring back the ‘Celebration of Gympie’ for everyone in our community and all visitors to our rich and amazing region. This year’s Festival will include a street parade along historic Mary Street, a free community concert at Nelson Reserve, and much more. In 2027, Gympie will acknowledge 160 years since the discovery of gold, and it is expected that the Gympie Gold Rush Festival will be central to these historic celebrations.

Murray Heron - President

Gympie Gold Rush Festival Incorporated