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A Place Based Contemporary Art Festival
1-18 August, North Queensland, Australia

Gudjal Country / Charters Towers

Art, Gold and History Tour

Discover the stories of Gudjal Country / Charters Towers with this exclusive PUNQ Tour that will take you to PUNQ’s exhibits and a contemporary public performance. Crafted specifically to celebrate the place-based works for the Gudjal Country PUNQ program, the audience will visit a combination of exhibits, events, performances and local cafes; with each tour having a unique itinerary.

Experience the scenic landscapes on the drive with a stop at PUNQ's Billboard Exhibition, Waymaker. Other tours stops include Perspective: The Queensland Regional Arts Awards being exhibited at The World Theatre Gallery by the Flying Arts Alliance. This exhibit showcases the work of emerging remote and regional Queensland artists and is a beautifully nuanced curation of works. The second exhibit is Timber and Iron, a display of Dr. Peter Bell’s photography that explores the way land, distance, climate and wealth shaped the founding of Charters Towers. It is an inquisitive dive into the history and architecture of Gudjal Country / Charters Towers held at the Mike Carney Creative Industries Centre.

Both tours include a viewing of the public performance work, Gold Dust, by artist and dancer, Tara Jade Samaya. Gold Dust is an interactive dance installation that follows a fantastical character, draped in gold, through the streets of town, echoing the history of earth and metal.

Other stops on the tour include The Twilight Art Markets held at the Mike Carney Creative Industries Centre, a vibrant gathering of the local community where the audience will be welcomed into local nightlife. This is an opportunity to connect, explore, dine and frolic.

Last but not least is the Stock Exchange Café – a local culinary experience in the historic stock exchange building (meal price not included in ticket). This tour will introduce audiences to an array of experiences celebrating the land and histories of Gudjal Country through the eyes of locals and artists taking inspiration from the region.

The times and itineraries vary depending on the date of your booking so please be sure to read closely before selecting your date.

Tour Details

Gudjal Country / Charters Towers Art, Gold and History Tour

$45 per adult ($35 concession) | $35 per child | Day tour | 33 bookings maximum | 8+ (Children under 8 years are not able to attend due to seating restrictions)

Itinerary

(CANCELLED) 10 August 2024 (matinee):

17 August 2024 (evening):

  • 3pm Meet at Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts, 408 Flinders St
  • During the drive you can view Waymaker by Vicki Saylor & Pippa Samaya
  • 5pm bus arrives in Charters Towers
  • 5.30pm Gold Dust (performance)
  • 6.30pm Twilight Art Markets (event) & Timber and Iron (exhibit) at the Mike Carney Creative Industries Centre
  • 8pm Bus back to Townsville
  • 10pm Arrive back in Townsville
Enter Site

PUNQ respectfully acknowledges the Wulgurukaba of Gurambilbarra and Yunbenun and the surrounding groups of our region; Bindal, Gugu Badhan, Nywaigi, Warrgamay, Bandjin and Gudjal as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we gather, share and celebrate local creative practice. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the first people of Australia. They have never ceded sovereignty and remain strong in their enduring connection to land and Culture.