Goomeri Pumpkin Festival cancelled after 2022 flooding

The record breaking February floods have claimed another victim, with a South Burnett festival worth millions of dollars to the local economy forced to cancel.

The Goomeri Pumpkin Festival has been cancelled amid ongoing recovery issues from the deadly February 2022 floods.

The Pumpkin Festival is traditionally held on the last weekend in May and is known as one of the biggest financial drivers for the western Gympie region town, but for the second time in three years it has been cancelled.

The award winning festival is responsible for generating millions of dollars in revenue for the small town every year, which is vital in sustaining the local economy.

Additionally, it brought more than 30,000 visitors to the region in 2021, when organisers only expected 25,000 people.

The committee put the official word out on social media on March 1, but had to reiterate the news on May 3.

The Pumpkin Roll is a staple event at the Goomeri Pumpkin Festival. Contestants line up at the top of Policeman’s Hill in Goomeri, and roll pumpkins down the hill in the hopes of reaching a target at the bottom.

“With a heavy heart, the organising committee decided last night (February 28) that our Festival will not be able to go ahead in 2022,” they said.

“We thank you in advance for your support and patronage, and we look forward to welcoming you all back to the Festival in 2023.”

Goomeri Pumpkin Festival committee coordinator David Mawhinney said the decision to cancel was made for a mixture of reasons including the ongoing Covid pandemic, but ultimately it was the double whammy of the 2022 floods that was the final nail in the coffin.

Entire roads were washed away during the 2022 floods in Goomeri, which Pumpkin Festival coordinator David Mawhinney said was the final nail in the coffin for the 2022 festival. Photo: Diane Frola on Facebook

“Ninety-five per cent of the reason was because the main bypass in town is washed out … and it is still to this moment deeper than you standing in it and twice as wide,” he said.

“For the Pumpkin Festival, we need that road to be able to run.”

Mr Mawhinney said the fate of the 2022 Goomeri Pumpkin Festival had been up in the air for some time after a struggle to form a new committee at the end of 2021.

This was not solved until February, and everything seemed on track until the February floods.

“If it wasn’t for that second round of flooding … we might not be having this conversation,” Mr Mawhinney said.

Some visitors to Goomeri for the festival choose to dress up in spirit of the event. Pictured here is Pumpkin Pageant King and Queen at the Goomeri Pumpkin Festival 2021: Damon and Amanda Endersby.

He said the decision was “very disappointing” to the community, but residents understood the committee’s choice.

“It is definitely the biggest influx of people in the town … I think last year we had 30,000 people through town,” he said.

Mr Mawhinney could not confirm how much the region would lose as a result of the cancellation, but previous Pumpkin Festivals have been estimated to be worth about $3million to the local economy.

Acting Gympie Regional Council CEO Dave Lewis said council was working with the Pumpkin Festival committee to “explore some options moving forward”.

“Understandably much of our western district was damaged during the last two weather events and council acknowledges this has impacts across a wide range of community facets,” he said.

Mr Lewis did not confirm when the road will be fixed, nor how much it was expected to cost.

The festival was scheduled to take place on May 28-29.

Originally published as Goomeri Pumpkin Festival cancelled after 2022 flooding