Rocklea Showgrounds Archives - Over The Walter Taylor Bridge

2024 Barrio Fiesta Brisbane Set to Shine at Rocklea Showgrounds

Photo Credit: Pexels/ Emmanuel Nicolas Jr.

The Filipino community across Australia is gearing up for a vibrant celebration of the 126th anniversary of Philippine Independence Day on the 12th of June 2024.

With Filipinos being the fifth-largest immigrant group in the country, events are planned throughout all states and territories, showcasing the rich culture and heritage of their homeland.

On the 9th of June 2024, Rocklea Showgrounds will host the highly anticipated 2024 Barrio Fiesta Brisbane. This well-known event among Filipinos will feature a full day of festivities showcasing Filipino culture, music, food, and community spirit.

*Photo Credit: Facebook/ BarrioFiestaBrisbane*

Queensland Events

However, Queensland is set for a diverse range of festivities to mark the Filipino celebrations.

Kicking off the festivities is the Bayanihan Festival on the 1st June 2024 at the Kingston Butter Factory Cultural Precinct in Kingston. The Filipino Australian Brisbane Society Inc., which is hosting this event, promises a day full of cultural performances, food stalls, and activities.

*Photo Credit: Facebook/ FilipinoAustralianBrisbaneSociety*

Following this is a more formal affair: the 126th Philippine Independence Day Celebration on June 1st at the Pullman Cairns International Grand Ballroom in Cairns. The Philippine Cultural Society of Carins, Inc. is responsible for organising this gala event.

*Photo Credit: Facebook/ PhilippineCulturalSocietyofCarins*

The weekend of the 8th and 9th of June has a packed schedule. On 8th June, the Pasasalamat (meaning “thanksgiving”) event will be held at the Auditorium in Meridan Plains.

Event Name	Date & Time	Location	Host
Bayanihan Festival	01 June 2024, Saturday, 11 am – 6 pm	Kingston Butter Factory Cultural Precinct, Kingston QLD	Filipino Australian Brisbane Society Inc
126th Philippine Independence Day Celebration	01 June 2024, Saturday, 6 pm	Pullman Cairns International Grand Ballroom, Cairns	Philippine Cultural Society of Cairns, Inc.
Pasasalamat	08 June 2024, Saturday, 5:30 pm	Auditorium, 70 Springs Drive Meridan Plains QLD
2024 Barrio Fiesta Brisbane	09 June 2024, Sunday, 9 am – 5 pm	Rocklea Showgrounds, Rocklea QLD	Barrio Fiesta Brisbane

National Festivities

Across the rest of the country, similar celebrations are planned. The Australian Capital Territory will see the Philippine Independence Anniversary Ball on the 15th June, while New South Wales will hold the Philippine National Day Ball on12th June.

In the Northern Territory, a special event will be held at Parliament House, hosted by the Honourable Ngaree Ah Kit MLA, Minister for Multicultural Affairs.

Victoria offers a range of events, including a dinner dance in Warrnambool on 1st June, a gala and anniversary celebration in Melbourne on 8th June, and a grand fiesta at the Queen Victoria Market on 30th June.

Western Australia joins the celebrations with a ball in Perth on 8th June and a separate celebration in Mandurah on 1st June.

Tasmania will round out the national celebrations with The Grand Filipino Festival on 8th June.

This year’s Philippine Independence Day promises to be a vibrant and diverse celebration across Australia, showcasing the important contributions Filipino communities make to the cultural tapestry of the nation.

Published Date 07-May-2024

Heritage Truck Association Classic Truck Show Returns to Rocklea Showgrounds

Photo credit: Heritage Truck Association Australia / heritagetruckassociation.com.au

Heritage Truck Association Australia has announced that it will be holding its annual classic truck show in May 2023, on the weekend of the 2023 Brisbane Truck Show at the Rocklea Showgrounds.

Once again, classic trucks will be part of this year’s Brisbane Truck Show as HTAA’s annual classic truck event returns to Rocklea Showgrounds on 20 – 21 May 2023. The showgrounds are located 15 minutes from the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC), where the Brisbane Truck Show will be held.

In 2021, the committee decided to cancel the event due to COVID. However, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity gave a number of HTAA members to secure a prominent location on the ground floor of the 2021 Brisbane Truck Show and be among the exhibitors at the event.

Heritage Truck Association Classic Truck Show Returns to Rocklea Showgrounds — *Photo credit: Heritage Truck Association Australia /* heritagetruckassociation.com.au

The exhibition turned out to be among the most popular presentations at the event as members displayed 12 classics:

a 1946 Ford Jailbar ‘Roxanne’ painstakingly restored by show partner NTI;
a 1948 Chevrolet Loadmaster;
a 1954 International AR110;
a 1962 Mack H673 ST;
a 1970 International Loadstar;
a 1971 Mercedes Benz 1418 LS;
a 1972 AEC Marshal;
a 1973 Kenworth W924;
a 1975 Bedford KMR/XT5;
a 1975 International D1310;
a 1978 International 3070B; and
a 1986 Kenworth W925 SAR.

HTAA’s Michelle Wilkie said that the amount of interest from other exhibitors and the public in their heritage truck gave another dimension to the show.

It was wonderful to see, she said, but it was daunting at first being a first-time exhibitor, but everything went smoothly.

The association, Wilkie adds, is hoping to once again see the showground at capacity and filled with all different makes and models of trucks, tractors, cars, utes and machines.

“These historic trucks are a piece of our history and if not restored, we will lose those pieces of history,” she says.

“There is a passion to keep the past alive for the men and women who started the transport industry, along with those wonderful hard-working old trucks that worked on not-so-good roads. Many travelled extraordinary distances on highways throughout Australia.

“Some of these vehicles have been lovingly restored to their original glory and create a spectacular display. There is a pride and passion by all members in their vehicles.”

The event is held on the third weekend in May each year at the Rocklea Showgrounds. The last show in 2019 had more than 200 trucks on display with the showground at full capacity with about 1,500 attendees each day.

Published 15-March-2023

Rocklea Showgrounds Now One of the First QLD Vaccination Hubs

Did you know that 14 community hubs in Brisbane, including one in Rocklea Showgrounds, are now open for youth vaccinations?

One of the first of the 14 vaccination hubs to open in Brisbane is the Rocklea Showgrounds hub, with people lining up to receive the Pfizer vaccine after the community registered their interest in May 2021. The establishment of these hubs marks Queensland’s push towards mass vaccination, which is estimated to begin later in the year once supply increases.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath commented that all 14 hubs are expected to be open before July, ready to offer vaccines to people under the age of 40. Because health workers initially anticipated to get five shots out of each Pfizer vaccine and discovered that they could actually get six, surplus vaccines will be used at the hubs. This means that five appointments can be made per vial, even if there were six shots.

According to Ms D’Ath, all of the community hubs will provide Pfizer vaccines. Though Queensland is readying itself for mass vaccination, not everyone is eligible to receive their shots just yet. Those eligible for vaccination must fall under either the following priority groups:

1a priority group

COVID-19 frontliners and healthcare workers.
Quarantine and border workers.
Staff and residents at aged care communities.
Disability care residents and staff.

1b priority group

Anyone aged 70 or older.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults aged 50 or older.
Young adults with underlying medical conditions.
People living with disabilities.

The new vaccination hub can be found at the Rocklea Showgrounds at Goburra St and Ipswich Rd, Rocklea.