GOLD RUSH: It's not Farnsy but might be close

Organisers close to revealing headliner for Gympie's 150th anniversary bash

John Farnham will not be performing at the Gympie Gold Rush parade but it's rumoured someone equally as famous will be. Picture: PAUL MILLER

A BIG name is being thrown around as the centre-stage performing act for this year's Gold Rush celebrations but organisers are remaining tight-lipped about dropping the big announcement until Gympie Regional Council can confirm the talent.

What has been said though is that the performer is expected to draw such a big crowd that the concert will need to take place at Albert Park rather than the Sound Shell in Nelson Reserve, which has been the well-received home of the most recent Gympie public concerts.

It is believed the announcement about Gympie's 150-year birthday celebrations will be made in the next week and while it may not be the likes of John Farnham, word on the street is the name is just as well-known and just as impressive.

"Excitement continues and it doesn't get any better than this,” Gold Rush official Jan Collins said.

"The high-profile performer will be announced shortly.”

The big name act will be the cherry on the Gold Rush cake with this year's event expected to deliver celebrations fit for a town of 150 years, including family fun day in the park featuring the classic cars and bikes show, market stalls and free rides and slides and laser light show.

The Gold Rush committee is appealing to the community to support the festival by either entering a float or lining Mary St on the day to cheer on participants.

The aim is to the boost the numbers like 25 years ago in 1992 when the Gympie community grabbed hold of the Letterthon Challenge idea and wrote to all the people they knew who had once lived in Gympie to return for the 125-year milestone.

The result was the best gold rush parade turn-out ever seen.

Social media is bound to make the recruitment easier, Mrs Collins said.

"It's a good time to use your keyboard skills and let all your social media contacts in on the fact that we turn 150 in October,” she said.

"It would be great to see as many 'Back to Gympie' people as possible. We can show them that, despite the modern facades, we are still the same at heart.”