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Matt Damon and his family enjoy day out at the Ekka in Queensland for the second year running

Matt Damon has been spotted at The Ekka with his wife and kids – an outing the actor now calls a “family tradition”.

Matt Damon in Sideshow Alley at the Ekka
Matt Damon in Sideshow Alley at the Ekka

Matt Damon has turned an Aussie tradition into his own.

The Hollywood star proudly attended the Royal Queensland Show, aka The Ekka, with his wife, Luciana Barroso, and daughters Isabella, 17, Gia, 14 and Stella, 12 – and, as it turns out, it wasn’t their first time visiting the Brisbane Showgrounds for the annual event.

“I love it here. This is our second year in a row coming here,” the 52-year-old said in a video shared on the event’s Twitter page.

“It’s turned into a family tradition so thanks for having us back. Shout out to everyone at the Ekka, you guys do a great job.”

According to The Courier Mail, Damon and his kids enjoyed the new Ekka ride The Joker, which reaches 25m and rotates 360-degrees in the air.

Matt Damon enjoys family day out at the Ekka in Queensland
Matt Damon says going to The Ekka is now a family tradition. Photo Mohammad Alfares
Matt Damon says going to The Ekka is now a family tradition. Photo Mohammad Alfares

The actor and his family – who were among the 55,000 people who attended the show yesterday – also watched the men’s woodchopping competition and walked through the Haunted House.

It’s believed the A-lister is in Australia to celebrate his good friend Chris Hemsworth’s 40th birthday last week in Bryon Bay, where he was seen out and about over the weekend ordering food from Top Shop cafe.

Damon and his kids tried to go incognito on their day out. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail
Damon and his kids tried to go incognito on their day out. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail
But the actor was happy to smile for photographs. Picture; Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail
But the actor was happy to smile for photographs. Picture; Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

Hemsworth’s wife Elsa Pataky and their kids accompanied the Damons on the outing but the Extraction 2 star was nowhere to be seen.

Australia has been like a second home to Damon and his family.

In fact, they even lived here for six months back in 2021, where he filmed the latest instalment of ThorThor: Love and Thunder – alongside Hemsworth and Natalie Portman.

Chris Hemsworth’s wife Elsa Pataky and kids joined Damon and his family on the outing. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail
Chris Hemsworth’s wife Elsa Pataky and kids joined Damon and his family on the outing. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail
Chris Hemsworth was not seen with his wife on the day. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail
Chris Hemsworth was not seen with his wife on the day. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail
The Spanish actress enjoyed roaming the agricultural displays at the show. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail
The Spanish actress enjoyed roaming the agricultural displays at the show. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

“I’m so excited that my family and I will be able to call Australia home for the next few months,” he said in a statement at the time.

“Australian film crews are world renowned for their professionalism and are a joy to work with so the 14 days of quarantine will be well worth it … Australia definitely is the lucky country.”

Damon with wife Luciana Barroso (right) and their daughters on March 27. Picture: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images
Damon with wife Luciana Barroso (right) and their daughters on March 27. Picture: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images

Although Damon is aware that there are some dangerous creatures in our country – as he learnt the hard way during a previous trip Down Under with Hemsworth.

“I stepped on a snake the last time I was there — an eight-foot python,” he said on The Ellen DeGeneres Show back in 2019.

“I was getting out of a car – that’s how many things in Australia are crazy – in a neighbourhood that was bordering an area with trees going down to the beach. We were going to the beach and we were going to hike down this little trail and I got out of the car and I stepped on something that felt like a giant piece of wood.

“I got out of the car and I looked down and it was a snake that big.”

Originally published as Matt Damon and his family enjoy day out at the Ekka in Queensland for the second year running

Original URL: https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/matt-damon-and-his-family-enjoy-day-out-at-the-ekka-in-queensland-for-the-second-year-running/news-story/a1229398171f420028d7cb5ece462dff