Heritage Festival
Celebrating 140 Years of Stories, Culture and Community
The official program for the 2026 Croydon Heritage Festival is now available to download.
From 20–26 June, Croydon will celebrate 140 years since the discovery of gold that transformed a remote corner of Queensland into one of the state's most remarkable gold rush towns.
This year's festival invites visitors to step into the stories, people and places that shaped Croydon.
Over seven days, the town will come alive with heritage experiences, live entertainment, cultural activities, historic tours, community celebrations and opportunities to explore Croydon's rich past in new and engaging ways.
A major feature of this year's program is the Croydon Time Trail, an immersive heritage experience that combines historical information, rare photographs and digital storytelling. Visitors can follow the trail throughout town and unlock additional content through interactive QR code experiences.
Other festival highlights include the Heritage Attire Competition, Croydon: The Story film screening, free walking tours of Croydon and the Chinese Temple site, Tagalaka Day and yarning at Lake Belmore, the Gold Coin Draw, and many more actvities throughout the week.
The festival opens with a community celebration featuring a FREE dinner (limited to 60 seats - first come, first served), live music by Becci Nethery, the Heritage Attire Competition and major prize draws.
The celebrations conclude on 26 June at the Rodeo Grounds with live music by Branded Men, FREE closing dinner (limited to 60 seats – first come, first served), the final Gold Coin Draw and a range of festive activities.
Join us for a memorable evening as the festival comes to a close in true Outback style.
Almost all festival activities are free to attend.
The Forever Golden Tour aboard the Gulflander on 25 June from 8.30am to 12pm is the festival's only ticketed event.
Bookings are essential and can be made through the Croydon Visitor Information Centre. Ph: (07) 4748 7153
Tickets are $70 for adults and $60 for concession holders.
Whether you're discovering Croydon for the first time or returning to reconnect with its unique heritage, this year's festival offers an authentic Outback Queensland experience and a chance to celebrate the stories that continue to shape the town today.
Download the program here(PDF, 5MB) and start planning your visit.
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Enjoying the Croydon Heritage Festival? We'd love to hear from you. Your feedback helps us continue to improve the festival experience and shape future events. Thank you for taking a few moments to complete our short survey. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Take the survey here.
The Croydon Heritage Festival is possible with the generous support of our principal sponsors: Croydon Shire Council, Jubilee Metals, North Lane Consulting Engineers and Erscon Consulting Engineers.
A heartfelt thank you to all our sponsors, partners, volunteers and staff whose support, dedication and hard work make the Croydon Heritage Festival possible.