The NOMA AUD100,000 Opal Fashion Bash is a national student fashion challenge that attracts entrants from all parts of Australia. It's prize categories include modelling, fashion design, wearable art, dancing, drawing and design as well as fashion photography. It also stages professional model, personal development skills and health and fitness training classes. Over 50 schools and tertiary institutes are usually represented. It is promoted as a four day Townsville Fashion Holiday experience and offers both students and the public the opportunity to view fashion entertainment in a relaxed and fun manner. To date it has discovered 12 international models and dancers, seven Australian fashion award winners, 2007 Miss Universe Australia as well as 2005 Miss Indy.
Attractions
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Entertainment (4)
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Civic Club Drop into the Civic Club, originally known as the Londoner's Club, (a gentlemen's club) and enjoy a drink with a local, soak up the atmosphere of this amazing historic building and have a round of billiards on one of the two 100 year old tables. Don't forget to make your booking for their famous Friday night barbecue.
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Lissner Park While you are out and about in Charters Towers why not have a picnic in one of their beautiful parks. Lissner Park, comprising of seven hectares, includes the Boer War Kiosk, Band Rotunda, children's playground, World War One guns, Federation Fountain, duck pond and memorials to grazier William Hann and pioneer Jupiter Mossman. Lissner Park is well lit therefore perfect for evening picnics. There are picnic tables, gas barbecues and it is always cool and shady. The trees within the park include figs, jacarandas, eucalypts, tamarinds, burdekin plum, milky pines, palms and silky oaks.
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The World Theatre Explore the World Theatre, a cultural complex where the unique blend of heritage architecture and state of the art technology meet. Browse at your own leisure. Check with their friendly staff for details of the live shows, movie times, morning melodies and the free local and touring exhibitions of art, sculpture, photography and more. Ask them about the 'murder on Mosman'.
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Towers Hill Lookout and Amphitheatre Local lore has it that an Aboriginal boy named Jupiter first discovered gold at the foot of Towers Hill in December 1871. Since the discovery of gold, the hills' three peaks have been subject to much use, predominately as a mining site. The early telegraph route to Cardwell passed overhead, and the valley below was used for ordinance storage during World War II.
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Farming, Food and Produce (1)
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Dalrymple Sales Yards - Cattle Sales Experience the thrill of livestock going under the hammer. Cattle Sales are held every Wednesday at the Dalrymple Sales Yards. Beef is produced on 250 commercial properties running around 600,000 head of cattle between them, making the Dalrymple Shire the biggest cattle producing local Government area in Australia. Dalrymple Sales Yards sell over 100,000 head per annum of store and prime cattle and hosts North Queensland's premier bull and horse sales. The significance of the selling centre and the quality of the animals marketed is highlighted by the centre recently breaking an auction record price for a bull of AUD145,000.
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Galleries, Museums and Collections (4)
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Charters Towers Folk Museum This National Trust owned and run museum houses a large collection of photographs, equipment and other memorabilia that reflects Charters Towers golden past. Friendly volunteers and staff are only too willing to share their special stories and demonstrate some of the equipment that is housed in the historic Burns Philp building, built in 1888. Ask for a demonstration of the flying fox (the Lampson Aerial Cash System from the old Pollards building), this is always a favourite.
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Historic Ambulance Centre The Historic Ambulance Centre dates back to 1903 and was restored and reopened to the public 100 years from its first opening. The centre was the first ambulance station outside of Brisbane and houses a wonderful collection of vehicles, uniforms and an enormous number of log books recording the cases treated by ambulance officers during the past 100 years. The centre is open on Sundays and at other times by appointment.
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Stock Exchange Arcade and Assay Mining Museum The Stock Exchange Arcade was designed by Sydney architect Mark Day and built by Sandbrook Brothers of Sydney in 1888. This prestigious shop and office arcade was built for local civic leader and businessman Alexander Malcolm. Known then as the Royal Arcade, it housed the Charters Towers Stock Exchange from 1890. It was one of Australia's first few regional stock exchanges and needed to raise capital for the deep reef mines throughout the region. The Stock Exchange was linked into the world via telegraph, with three calls a day, six days a week.
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Venus Gold Battery Located on the outskirts of town, the Venus Gold Battery offers an insight into an amazing real-life gold rush of the late 19th century. The battery is of national cultural significance as the largest surviving battery relic in Australia and the oldest surviving battery in Queensland.
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Historical Sites and Heritage Locations (3)
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Centenary Park Centenary Park has the gold discovery monuments, picnic tables, gas barbecues and is always cool and shady. Centenary Park also has an interesting history tied to the park. The area was first gazetted as Reserve for Public Purposes in 1888. In 1941 the last gazette Order in Council set aside the area as a Reserve for Park Purposes and named it "Sayers Park" after Robert John Sayers.
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Charters Towers and Pioneer Cemeteries Charters Towers Cemetery was established in 1895. It is the resting place for a number of interesting local characters including Jupiter Mosman who, as local lore has it, was one of the party that discovered gold at Charters Towers; Doctor Leonard Redmond who discovered Australian dengue fever; Fredrick Pfeiffer owner of the rich Day Dawn PC Mine and James Knenniff who was the last bushranger in Queensland.
The Charters Towers Visitor Information Centre has the cemetery records for both the Pioneer and Charters Towers cemeteries. Or if it is family history you are seeking, why not contact the Charters Towers and Dalrymple Family History Association. This group aims to promote and preserve research into local and family history for the benefit of the community.
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Charters Towers Visitor Information Centre The Charters Towers Visitor Information Centre occupies a beautifully restored heritage building. The building itself is an attraction. It has been moved on four occasions during it’s 125 years. It was originally constructed for the Queensland National Bank in 1880 on the land now occupied by the present day City Hall. When the National Bank required larger premises they sold the wooden one story building to the Union Bank. Since 1996 it has been used as the Visitor Information Centre.
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Natural Attractions (1)
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Dalrymple National Park Dalrymple National Park covers an area of 1640 hectares and is located 46 kilometres north or a 30 minute drive from the town of Charters Towers (90 minute drive west of the city of Townsville). The Park can be accessed via the Gregory Development Road (Lynd Highway).
Events
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Exhibitions and Shows (2)
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NOMA AUD100,000 Opal Fashion Bash The NOMA AUD100,000 Opal Fashion Bash is a national student fashion challenge that attracts entrants from all parts of Australia. It's prize categories include modelling, fashion design, wearable art, dancing, drawing and design as well as fashion photography. It also stages professional model, personal development skills and health and fitness training classes. Over 50 schools and tertiary institutes are usually represented. It is promoted as a four day Townsville Fashion Holiday experience and offers both students and the public the opportunity to view fashion entertainment in a relaxed and fun manner. To date it has discovered 12 international models and dancers, seven Australian fashion award winners, 2007 Miss Universe Australia as well as 2005 Miss Indy.
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Strand Ephemera Strand Ephemera is a major biennial outdoor sculpture project to be held on The Strand Townsville. Artists from across Australia are invited to put forward expressions of interest to be included in the exhibition. 20 proposals will be selected primarily on the basis of meeting high artistic standards in contemporary practice. The exhibition is site-specific, with artists choosing their sites prior to application. Public program includes artist lectures, workshops and a public art forum. First held in 2001, Strand Ephemera has established a strong connection with the community and visitors to the region attracting up to 80,000 enthusiastic viewers over the course of the 11 day exhibition.
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Festivals and Celebrations (2)
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Groovin the Moo Groovin the Moo is now the largest single day event within regional Australia and is returning to Townsville in 2009. The 2008 event included sponsors such as Triple J, Myspace and Townsville Bulletin. There were over three stages, 22 bands and artists and street performers. Bands that performed in 2008 were The Presets, Sneaky Sound System, Spiderbait, The Herd, Gyroscope, Karnival, The Potbelleez, Katalyst, Resin Dogs.
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Townsville Triathlon Festival The corporate team triathlon as part of Townsville Triathlon Festival is an event promoting teamwork, a healthy workforce, corporate health and maintaining a work/life balance. The event has continued to grow and has become a much-anticipated event on annual sporting and corporate calendars throughout the Townsville region. All levels of fitness and fun will been represented.
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Performances (1)
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Australian Concerto and Vocal Competition The Australian Concerto and Vocal Competition is held annually for solo performers and ensembles from around Australia and overseas. They compete in various sections for total prize money of over AUD18,000. Sections for soloists include Vocal, Instrumental and Piano, School Age, Australiana, and Open Section.
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Sporting Events (1)
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Big W Townsville to Cairns Bike Ride The annual Big W bike ride from Townsville to Cairns raises money for childrens cancer research for the Childrens Cancer Institute Australia. This event is proudly supported by Big W. Townsville is located 350 kilometres south of Cairns in North Queensland. All riders meet at Mercure Inn Townsville on the first morning for a 6.00 a.m. start.
Visitor Information