1969 Bribie Island Festival

Bribie Island Festival Week

1969

2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the inaugural Bribie Island Festival Week which was held August 30 - September 7, 1969.

Poster for the 1969 Bribie Island Festival Week.
Image cropped from a Len Drummond photo

The idea for the festival week was put to a public meeting held at the Bongaree Bowls Club on May 27, 1969. The public meeting was convened by the Bribie Island Publicity Committee and the idea was received enthusiastically to showcase the many tourist attractions at the best time of the year for the flora and fauna - Spring time on Bribie!

FESTIVAL PRINCE AND PRINCESS - Saturday 30 August - The first event held was the crowning of "The Prince and Princess" of Bribie Island - Mr and Mrs Arthur Winston - with full festival regalia and the voices of The Happy Wanderers choir accompanied by an orchestra from the local Municipal Band members in full dress uniform.

Following the ceremony, the "Royal Party" and their entourage moved off to attend the FIRST ANNUAL AMBULANCE FALL which was held at The Blue Pacific Hotel at Woorim.

Crowning the "Ambulance Queen" Miss Shirley Schrag
by Hon. D. Nicholson M.L.A. with
flower girl Sharon Jensen and page boy Wayne Balmer.
Source: Bribie Star 5 Sep 1969

A special feature of the evening was the crowning of the Bribie Island Ambulance Queen. 

OFFICIAL OPENING - Sunday 31 August - The official opening of the Bribie Island Festival Week took place at 4pm [Bribie Time!] at which the Minister for Labour and Tourism officiated.

An AQUATIC CARNIVAL comprising of sailing events was conducted by the Humpybong Yacht Club in conjunction with the Bribie Island Boat and Yacht Club.

A FESTIVAL FISHING COMPETITION was a huge success with nearly 400 participating in the competition.

During the week there were daily amusement activities including Jack and Doreen's puppet show.

Festival Week on Bribie Island
Source: Bribie Star 5 Sep 1969

The Bribie Island Festival Committee had conducted a Festival Princess Quest to raise funds for local community services. On Saturday 6 September the judging of the Festival Princess Quest Entrants took place at the Koolamara Motel. The entrants were Miss Glenda Renton, Miss Shirley Schrag, Miss Judy Day, Miss Elizabeth Johnson, Miss Lyn Crouch and Miss DeGroot and the winner of the Festival Princess Quest for 1969 was Miss Judy Day. Miss Charity Princess of the Festival was Miss Shirley Schrag.

A FESTIVAL PARADE of over 20 floats and turnouts were accompanied by twelve teams of Marching Girls and led by the Royal Naval Reserve Band and the Air Training Corps No. 13 Flight R.A.A.F. Newspaper reports of the event declared the parade "a grand show".

There was a SURF BOAT RACE from the Bribie Jetty over an eight mile course in which three teams competed - Maroochydore, Caloundra and Bribie Island surf life saving clubs.

One of the final events was a FOUNDATION STONE LAID for "The House of Happiness" on land owned by the Brisbane Tram and Bus Employees Crippled Children and Orphans Committee at Woorim.

If you have photos or memories of the 1969 festival that you would like to share please contact BIHS at bribiehistoricalsociety@gmail.com

REFERENCES
"Festival Week" for Bribie Island. Bribie Star v7(24) 13 Jun 1969, p. 1.

Festival Events. Bribie Star v7(4) 5 Sep 1969, p. 1, 9, 10.

The above poster was cropped from a picture by Len Drummond entitled “Say hello to the 70s! Pant suit fashions promoting the Bribie Island Festival” Excerpted from the internet: Acknowledgement: @couriermail  http://www.imgrum.net/media/999633314576904139_519770042