Community & Business
11 October, 2022
Herberton in full bloom for festival
WITH the jacaranda trees now in full bloom, Herberton turns purple this weekend for the ever-popular Jacaranda Festival.
The annual two-day festival is a celebration of the beautiful jacarandas that grace the town, but also its historical links with mining. The trees seen around Herberton are said to be the offspring of an original tree which was grown from seed by one of the town’s founders, John Newell.
People dressed in purple, purple beer at the pub and even scones with purple cream will all add to the festival atmosphere.
Market stalls and food vans will take the place of cars in Grace Street which will be closed from 7am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday to allow the street to become the centre of the festival.
This year, a special addition to the festival will be the debut of Atherton-Herberton Historic Railway’s fully restored 1905 Peckett locomotive and a 1913 wooden carriage at the Herberton Railway Station.
The Tinlander will be running from the station to the bridge and back again from 10am to 2pm.
The Herberton Mining Museum will again be hosting the rolling tin panning competition which takes place over the two days, with prizes for the biggest and purest tin sample in the senior category, and all junior entrants getting a free lucky dip.
The museum will be open from 9am to 4pm, with guided tours of the Great Northern Mine on offer at 10am and 3pm on both days.
Classic cars will be on show in John Street on Saturday, while there will be a Herberton Historic Village display in Grace Street.
The Herberton Motorbike “Burn Out” Competition starts on Saturday at 1pm, while the Royal Hotel has live music from 12 noon until late, with the Wild River Mountain Distillery partnering with the hotel to offer special Jacaranda gin and tonics over the weekend.
The films from finalists in the Herberton Pocket Film Festival will take the spotlight on Saturday evening at the Herberton Shire Hall from 7pm. People were asked to submit short films of 3-7 minutes in length, with the best of those entries to be shown.
On Sunday, more fun activities are planned, with the Herberton Mountain Bike ride to the town and a pipe band performing.
A courtesy bus will be operating from 9am to 4pm on both days for a gold coin donation that will take patrons to the Wild River Caravan Park, the Herberton Historic Village, the Mining Museum, the Herberton Railway Station and the town centre
