Llew O'Brien (Wide Bay, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

In October 2024, the long-awaited $1 billion Gympie bypass opened to traffic, turning one of the most dangerous sections of the Bruce Highway through Wide Bay into one of the safest. The new bypass has changed my home town of Gympie significantly, by improving liveability and amenity and opening up new opportunities for our regional economy, as we continue to grow as a vibrant and desirable destination with much to offer residents and visitors.

Gympie is already renowned as the home of the Gympie Music Muster. It's a three-day music country music festival set in the Amamoor State Forest, with an exciting calendar of events and activities which are planned for visitors to the music muster in 2026.

This October, the Gympie Gold Rush Festival will make its return. The gold rush festival originally ran from 1973 to 2020, in celebration of the town's rich and colourful heritage and the important contribution that the discovery of gold at Gympie in 1867 made to Queensland's economy and future development. Sadly, COVID and other factors put a stop to the gold rush festival, but, thanks to the hard work of passionate locals and a new committee, headed by President Murray Herron, this iconic celebration of Gympie's history will be making a comeback in 2026.

In April this year, the power of the combustion engine will be on full display when Gympie hosts the opening round of the Australian Rally Championship, something local mayor Glen Hartwig has worked hard to secure for the local area. Motorsport lovers are excited about the Accent Benchtops Rally Queensland 2026 round, where Australia's best rally drivers will be competing over three days of full-throttled, thrilling and adrenaline-pumping action across the Gympie region. Gympie's CBD will play host to the sprint events, the Wheels on Mary Show and Shine, and the street rally stage, which will be an exciting race on a purpose-built urban track through the closed streets in the town centre. The city's streets will also be a focal point for spectators throughout the event, as Gympie transforms into a full motorsport precinct, with a walk-through service park where you can get close to the action and catch a behind-the-scenes look at the drivers and teams as they repair and maintain the race vehicles.

Regional communities in Imbil, Amamoor, Brooyar and Glastonbury present some of the best rally roads in the country, and the forestry stages of the event will test drivers' skills over gravel, through blind turns and in unforgiving terrain. I'm looking forward to seeing our local drivers in action—particularly my friend Sasha Power, an up-and-coming young female racer who has a big future ahead of her in motorsport.

Gympie has come a long way from its origins as a goldmining town, and, as we look ahead, it's clear the region is entering a new era, one shaped by our resilience, our community spirit and our willingness to embrace all the opportunities that the future presents. From world-class events to renewed celebrations of our heritage, our region is thriving and the momentum is only growing. Gympie's future is bright, bold and uniquely our own, and I'm proud to stand alongside our locals, volunteers and visionaries who are helping our community write its next great chapter.

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