Eumundi Voice Issue 122, 24 July 2025

Out and about

A day In the Abbey

The Abbey Medieval Festival recently held on 13 July in Maleny, is a celebration of Europe’s medieval history and culture. The event has grown in popularity in recent years, due to key attractions such as jousting and sword fighting demonstrations. The festival is a blend of excitement and adrenaline-packed entertainment – with fire juggling making more than one appearance – adding to the dynamic atmosphere.

The audience was invited to sign-up and participate in modernised interpretations of medieval traditions such as traditional dancing, archery and sheep-carrying races. Although these events are primarily entertainment, they also served as an educational purpose, offering insights into what life was like during the medieval period.

There were also professional demonstrations such as morning cannon firing, which could be heard from any end of the abbey, as well as trebuchet firing. A trebuchet is a siege engine consisting of a large wooden pole arm attached to a tripod, that employs a counterweight to throw projectiles at a target. Unlike its counterpart the catapult – which strikes and breaks through walls with a flat trajectory – the trebuchet throws projectiles in an arc, effectively clearing castle walls and striking within.

These kinds of attractions make the Abbey Medieval Festival an important event for younger generations, serving as a living museum. Visitors were encouraged to dress up in period-appropriate costumes, enhancing the inclusivity of, and engagement with, the event.

Heritage Makers Fair

The Heritage Makers Fair at Gympie was bigger and better than ever with displays, demonstrations and celebrations of heritage skills and arts and crafts including woodworkers, cartwrights, blacksmithing, quilting, rally cars, vintage tractors, petrol bowsers and much more. Congratulations to the Gympie Rotary Club for pulling it all together!