The Festival
A single day, built for six years.
A flagship First Nations cultural, tourism and workforce development programme on Wakka Wakka Country, in the South Burnett region of Queensland. One day a year, every year, from 2027 to 2032. On the road to the Brisbane 2032 Games.
A festival led by Country.
The Cherbourg Festival is a flagship First Nations cultural, tourism and workforce development initiative based in the Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire, on Wakka Wakka Country, in the South Burnett region of Queensland.
The inaugural event is staged on Saturday 18 September 2027 as a single day festival. It then runs as an annual programme across six years to 2032. Read plainly, it is a direct cultural, tourism and economic contribution to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The project is led by the Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council under Mayor Bruce Simpson, alongside a founding consortium of cultural, creative and government stakeholders.
Who it's for
The Cherbourg community first. The wider South Burnett next: Murgon, Kingaroy, Wondai and the towns that share these roads. Then visitors and partners, from across Queensland, Australia and the world, as the programme grows.
Why now
Brisbane 2032 is the largest cultural, economic and tourism opportunity Australia will see this decade. The question is who it reaches. This festival is the vehicle proposed to carry state and federal First Nations commitments across the full six years, sustained, scalable and accountable.
Walking the path to Brisbane 2032.
A songline of six years, each one stepping into the next. The 2027 inaugural and the 2032 capstone hold the path open between them.
Outcomes for Cherbourg and the South Burnett.
01
Tourism & visitor economy
Anchor event in the Queensland regional calendar. Year on year growth in visitor nights across Cherbourg, Murgon, Kingaroy and the wider South Burnett. Regional dispersal beyond South East Queensland.
02
Workforce & employment
Direct event jobs in production, hospitality, security and creative leadership. Indirect jobs across accommodation, retail and food. A six year training and supply chain pathway into 2032.
03
Community & cultural
Sustained investment in Cherbourg cultural infrastructure, language maintenance and intergenerational transfer, with measurable participation by First Nations young people each year.
04
Legacy beyond 2032
Infrastructure, workforce capability, supplier relationships and partner networks established for the festival remain in Cherbourg beyond 2032 and support the ongoing cultural and economic development of the community.
Reported annually.
The measures below are reported year on year, in the open, to funders, partners and the wider community. Accountability is not a footnote here. It is the point.
Visitor numbers, nights and expenditure across the South Burnett.
Direct and indirect jobs supported, including Cherbourg local participation.
First Nations artist engagement, commissions and earned income.
Training, accreditation and supplier participation outcomes.
Audience and media reach, including international media to 2032.
Community and cultural outcomes against the governance framework.
