Redcliffe First Settlement Festival

First Settlement Festival to be bigger and better than ever Redcliffe’s First Settlement Festival will be bigger and better than ever this year, with a move to extend celebrations over two days. The event will be held on Saturday, September 12, at Thurecht Park and on Sunday, September 13, in the Redcliffe central business district and on the foreshore.

Mayor Allan Sutherland said expanding the festival would help ensure the First Settlement Festival was one of Moreton Bay Regional Council’s signature events. “This festival has been held every year in Redcliffe since 1991 and it is extremely popular with residents, businesses and tourists,” he said. “Expanding the festival will help us continue to attract visitors and generate renewed interest in the event.”

Council has approved negotiating further contract details with the Australian Powerboat Association Offshore Council to keep their involvement with the event. Division 5 Councillor James Houghton said about 50,000 residents and visitors have attended previous first settlement festivals which have generated significant revenue for local businesses. “Moves to expand the festival will also help us improve our ties with the Super Boat Grand Prix which became a major attraction of the festival in 2006,” he said. “The presence of the powerboats at Scarborough Harbour on Saturday gives us the perfect opportunity to add informal activities in Thurecht Park in the afternoon.”

Division 6 Councillor Rae Frawley said council planned to develop the two-day program over three years and expand it to include more arts, cultural and recreational activities throughout the region. “I hope that through expanding this Redcliffe event we are able to produce a festival which instils both local and regional pride while reflecting the significance of our first settlement history,” she said.

Website: www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/firstsettlement