Bowen Family Fishing Classic this weekend!

JUST like Bowen, the Bowen Family Fishing Classic is about more than fishing – it’s a time for the family to relax and be entertained, play, win and enjoy outdoor recreational activities for the weekend.

The Iron Jack XXXX Beach Party gets under way from midday on Saturday, September 22 when the amusement rides roar to life, followed by the Blessing of the Fishermen. The show really kicks off then, starting with Ash Smith whose setlist consists of both original and cover songs with a twist. Top-class on-stage entertainers from all over Queensland will be in Bowen for this much-loved event.

The kids are never forgotten, with handball comps, a water balloon challenge and heaps of prizes to be won. Roving kids’ entertainer Windy Wizard will be there to from 4pm on Saturday and 1pm on Sunday. Also joining the event this year is Whitsunday Sand Art sculptor Adrian Connor, so come on down and see what he creates. Innocent Eve, a sassy and sweet duo with perfect harmonies, warm tones and moving lyrics will take to the main stage as the sun sets over the beautiful Bowen foreshore just before everyone settles in for the evening with country artist Heath Milner from Mackay, who will perform as he did on The Voice Season 6 when Boy George invited him to go to Nashville.

A fashion show by Luxe Fashions on the red carpet catwalk will see gorgeous gals taking to the spotlight to show off their classy and classic clothing line. Fireworks will light up the sky just before the Aussie Chili Peppers knock your socks off with their pin-point accurate renditions of all the greatest hits. They’re guaranteed to get you into a funky frenzy with a high-energy 60 minutes of non-stop music. Get ready to witness rock ‘n roll at its best with a show that will leave you screaming for more from AC/DC tribute band Whole Lotta AD/DC playing and celebrating the greatest hits of this classic hard rock band. It’s a superbly accurate show, complete with costumes, quality sound, lighting and unrelenting energy, all delivered with the power and high voltage you’d expect from an AC/DC show.

Entry fee at the gate to experience the show is just $4 per person or $10 for a family. On Sunday morning, locals and visitors can join in a fun run, with proceeds going towards cancer research, followed by brekky beachside and tagging and releasing the turtles by Gudjuda Reference Group Aboriginal Corporation. So come on down for brekky beachside with the best view around before a leisurely day of music and family fun, the fishing weigh-in and wonderful prizes, all of which must go home with a lucky winner. Car enthusiasts will appreciate the Classic Car Show, with beautiful rides on display from 9am Sunday. The kids can come down too and have some hands-on fun with bush and beach crafts, a sand castle competition and lolly drop at midday.

The bar stage starts up again at midday too, with Matt Angell playing a selection of the classics through to contemporary top-40 hits. This is all interspersed with a huge range of activities from pie eating to sand sculpting, a lolly drop, casting competition and dash for cash. There will be heaps of rides for the young at heart. The Bowen Family Fishing Classic and Wet Weekend aims to be more than entertainment: the event organisers challenge everyone to switch off screens, phones, games and Netflix and come down to Bowen’s Sound Shell for an awesome time.

Geoff Wilson will entertain everyone during a lazy Sunday afternoon by the beach while the lure casting and dash for cash competitions are running and the weigh-in wraps up. You can eat, drink and play in a celebration fit for all ages. And if you missed the lovely ladies from Innocent Eve on the Saturday, they will be on the main stage once again on Sunday just before prize presentations to keep everyone relaxed and entertained before taking home a host of great prizes. So what’s the cost of all this awesome-ness?

Senior entry for the entire event and fishing comp is $25, junior entry is $15 and the senior lucky nomination prize boat is worth $30,200.  The Stessl 460 Warrior is a superbly designed and built plate hull with a side console. It is the perfect estuary and offshore fishing boat, with plenty of beam and depth, and it’s very versatile with excellent performance from its 60hp Honda outboard. Honda is the pioneer of four-stroke outboard technology. The BFP60 features Blast for unrivalled hole-shot power and ECOmo for industry-leading fuel economy. This perfect boating and fishing rig is fitted on a SeaTrail trailer, Australia’s best value for money boat trailer. The galvanised skid trailer with brakes and keel roller rack safely carries the senior prize boat for ease of launching and retrieving.

This year’s junior lucky prize boat package is a Stessl 3.40 Vagabond V-bow punt worth $7400. A tough and lightweight estuary and inshore fishing and crabbing boat, it is built strong with extra ribbing and transom bracing yet still only weighs 75kg and performs well with low horsepower. Painted inside and out in Stessl white, it has a drop-in floor and two rod holders. This perfect creek rig will be the envy of all junior anglers. On the transom is the all-new Honda BF5 with seven-year warranty and outstanding performance. Honda’s portable range delivers unrivalled innovation, with the engines providing responsive, smooth and reliable power in a lightweight design. The skid SeaTrail C-channel trailer (for corrosion protection) cradling the junior prize boat will last a lifetime and is a proven design for easy towing and launching.

If you’re not lucky enough to win a prize boat, there are 16 prize categories for fishing, including crabs, with a highest weight prize as well as secret weight for all senior and junior anglers. Women are catered for with a top prize for the heaviest fish weighed in by a female angler from Centrepoint Traders. The senior lucky nomination prize (non-boat) is a voucher towards a set of Mickey Thompson tyres valued at $1500.

Senior lucky weigh-in prize is four nights’ accommodation at Montes Reef Resort valued at $1000. A Facebook competition will also be running, with the prize being accommodation at Castle Crest Motel Townsville valued at $280, as well as a $150 fuel voucher from Tropic Petroleum.

Entries to the comp can be bought from local tackle shops, online at bowenfamilyfishingclassic.com and via Facebook.

Like and share the Bowen Family Fishing Classic Facebook page to keep up to date with all the exciting news.

See you there!