On the one-year anniversary of the floods that devasted Outback Queensland in 2025, Quilpie will turn its main street into a concert space – with renowned country music stalwart Lee Kernaghan set to headline a Spirit of the Bush performance from 4pm on Saturday, March 28, 2026.
The free community concert in Quilpie will be the largest of three Spirit of the Bush events across the hardest-hit regions, transforming Quilpie’s main street into a festival of music, food and storytelling.
Brolga Street in Quilpie will become a pedestrian thoroughfare for the event – with the main street closed to traffic and the stage for the concert set in the middle of the roadway.
Quilpie Shire Council will load tonnes of dirt and roll out fresh turf along the bitumen road to add to the boot scooting country vibe under foot, while food vendors will line the street and comedy from Mandy Nolan will accompany an evening of country music that will honour the past year and the people who carried the region through it.
Quilpie Mayor Ben Hall said the anniversary offered a moment to reflect on a period that tested the districts endurance – and to acknowledge those who responded when the waters rose.
“We’re excited to stage an event that marks how far we’ve come from the devastation we were experiencing 12 months ago – and that also gives us the opportunity to recognise some of our local heroes who were integral in helping save and feed livestock as well as rescuing locals from flooded houses. We will share their stories and give public recognition for all they did,” Hall said. “The event will also kick off the launch of our prime winter tourist season and give us an opportunity to showcase all we’re renowned for – from opal fossicking to water sports, hiking, natural beauty at sites like Baldy Top and fishing and yabbying.”
Country Music star Lee Kernaghan said, “I’m proud to be part of the Spirit of the Bush community concerts in Jundah, Quilpie and Thargomindah. Along with Adavale, these towns were among the hardest hit during the 2025 floods, and the free concert events will be a chance to bring people together from across Queensland to show support and pay tribute to the spirit and resilience of these salt-of-the-earth communities. Joining us on the tour is Luke Geiger with his Australia’s Wildest Cowboy Party, 2026 Toyota Star Maker winner Jarred Wrigley, and my amazing wife Robby X, who’ll be performing with me at every show.”
Kernaghan’s appearance as part of the Spirit of the Bush community concert series is supported by the Queensland Government, with Quilpie Shire Council building a wider program of comedy, entertainment and art with a 1 Year On Flood Exhibition running from March 20 – May 1 at the Quilpie Shire Gallery.
Joining Kernaghan on the bill is well-known Outback Queensland performer Luke Geiger, who will bring a high-energy set to the Quilpie stage, musician and songwriter Robby X and rising country talent Jarrad Wrigley who is fresh from being crowned the 46th Toyota Star Maker at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in January 2026.
Before his Tamworth breakthrough, the 22-year-old Stanthorpe sheep farmer was known to television audiences as Farmer Jarrad — the singing cowboy on Farmer Wants a Wife (2025).
While the Spirit of the Bush event will bring joy this March, the floods that devasted the region in March 2025 brought record rainfall and history making water levels that led to widespread evacuations and the loss of hundreds of thousands of livestock as properties were inundated without warning.
“There is still deep trauma amongst many families on properties beyond the town limits,” Hall said. “Because we had no radar in our region, we were left totally unprepared for the rainfall and subsequent flooding last year. People were winched out of homes by helicopter. Others watched fencing and stock disappear under rising water. Twelve months on many are still rebuilding stock levels and fencing, however the resilience and community spirit of our region has well and truly shone. This event will recognise and pay tribute to that,” added Mayor Hall.
Before the historic rainfall event, forecasts had suggested minimal precipitation across south-west Queensland. Instead, more than 500mm fell in parts of the region, highlighting the desperate need for improved monitoring infrastructure.
In the wake of the floods Government funding was secured for a new weather radar system to cover the gap between Charleville and Alice Springs.
“We hope the weather radar isn’t too far off, so we never get caught out like we did with the weather event 12 months ago,” Hall said.
The March 28 Spirit of the Bush street party will also serve as the informal launch of Quilpie’s winter tourism season, with visitors encouraged to stay on and explore the region’s opal fields, waterways and walking trails as the Outback moves into its peak travel months.
QUILPIE SHIRE KEY SPORTING EVENTS AND ACTIVTIES FOR 2026:
- Water sports, fishing/yabbying, rock climbing, hiking and sand dune surfing – year round
- Golf – year-round and with a special focus on the Quilpie Golf Open Weekend Saturday August 16th and Sunday August 17th
- The 2026 Eromanga Rodeo and Camp draft – April 3-5
- The Quilpie Cup – May 9 – Outback horse racing at its best
- Bowls Triple Carnival – May 9
- The Toompine Gun Shoot – April 4 & 5
- The Adavale Rodeo, Challenge, Gymkhana and Bikehana – April 17-19
- Quilpie Polocrosse – June 27 & 28
- Toompine Polocrosse – July 4 & 5
- Presidents Day Bowls – July 4 & 5
- 2026 Quilpie Sporting Clays Club Annual Carnival – August 9 & 10
- 2026 Quilpie Golf Open Weekend – August 16 & 17
- Quilpie Rodeo (Part of the Quilpie Show) – Friday September 12
- 2026 Quilpie Motorbike Gymkhana & Enduro – September 27 & 28
- Quilpie Bowls Rinks Open – October 4 & 5
- Annual 2 Day Bowls Carnival – October 4 & 5
- Quilpie State College Colour Fun Run – October 7
QUILPIE SHIRE KEY CULTURAL/ART/FOOD & HISTORIC EVENTS AND ACTIVTIES FOR 2026:
- Quilpie Shire Gallery – 1 Year On Flood Exhibition – March 20 – May 1
- Corey Richards Exhibition – May 8 – June 19
- Shona Underwood Exhibition – June 26 – August 7
- The Toompine Pub – the re-launched Toompine Pub is renowned as the pub with no town – operating year-round serving meals and ice-cold beers
- The Elegant Emu & Unstable Coffee – high tea, a patisserie and world class tasting table await at the Elegant Emu in Adavale while Unstable Coffee serve up a seasonal menu of snacks, breakfast and lunch with the outback’s best coffee from a re-purposed horse float in the heart of Quilpie – Year round
- Eromanga Natural History Museum – Year-Round – Australian Dinosaur Giants Tour – meet ‘Cooper’ Australia’s largest dinosaur
- Eromanga Natural History Museum Fossil Preparation Experiences – Year round
- Eromanga Natural History Museum Dinosaur Insiders Package and Dinosaurs – The Grand Tour – Year round
- Opal fossicking – Year round
- Yapunyah’s red sandhills – Year round
- Lakeview bath house – Year-round soak in warm artesian water
- St Finbarr’s Catholic Church – Year-round – renowned for its unique opal altar, lectern and font created from locally mined opals
- Baldy Top Look Out and Rick’s Memorial – Year round
- Hell Hole Gorge National Park – Year round
- Lyn Barnes Art Gallery and Quilpie Shire Gallery – Year round
- Mural Park – Year round
- Quilpie Shire Miliary Museum and Rail Museum – Year round
- Red Dirt Dreaming Exhibition launch – Saturday June 28
- The award winning Quilpeta – Quilpie Night Show Experience – A calendar of regular evenings in the months of April and September run. Dates and details are at www.visitquilpieshire.com
- ANZAC Day – April 25 – Throughout the day marches and band performances will commemorate ANZAC Day in Quilpie and at the memorial that honours fallen soldier and former Quilpie resident Rick Milosevic
- 2026 Kangaranga Do Street Party –September – Birdsville Race goers descend on Quilpie for a night out outback fun including a bathtub derby, wool bale rolling and the popular ‘get your rocks off’ competition.
- Quilpie and District Show – Friday September 12 and Saturday September 13 – With Australia’s oldest scarecrow competition
- Bulloo Bush Ball – Saturday October 25
- Annual Christmas in the Gallery Exhibition and markets – November 16 – December 23
- Remembrance Day at RSL Park – November 11