Riverway Arts Centre

Riverway Arts Centre (stage 1) was officially opened on 15th July 2006 at 10.30am by the then Premier of Queensland, Peter Beattie.

The centre was built with Thuringowa City Council, Queensland State Government, and Australian Federal Government funding. It was designed by Michael Rayner of Cox Rayner, Brisbane, who also designed the Museum of Tropical Queensland, Cairns Esplanade, Artspace Mackay, and the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The opening river festival celebrations for stage 1 were scheduled for July 8th to 16th, 2006.

The Centre contains a 380 seat ‘flexible performance space’, a separate amphitheatre which slopes from the rear of the building, Pinnacles Art Gallery, and a café restaurant overlooking the Upper and Lower swimming Lagoons.

Mr Glen Arboit was appointed the first cultural centre manager.

Below is the week long River Festival Programme run in conjunction with the opening of Riverway.

River Festival Programme
Saturday July 8 2006
Day9am – 4pm Coca Cola Ross River RampageRoss River
National wakeboarding championships
10am – 4pmBattle of the BandsAmphitheatre Stage
10am – 6pmCitibeach VolleyBall ChallengeSkate Park
10am – 6pmThuringowa Bulldogs AFL clinicsRiver pontoon area
11am – 5pmMulti-cultural Food CourtFood Court
Evening6pm – 8pmAustralian Festival of Chamber Music “an Exuberant Affair”Riverway Arts Centre
6pm – 9pmRiverway Opening Concert featuring two bands Pachooka, a unique band who blend disco, funk, and reggae sounds with directions grooves and hip hop, and Doch whose style combines fast tempos and mellow tunes making them popular for all ages.
Amphitheatre Stage
6.15pm – 9pmLaunch of Plastic, Water, and the New White Cube Exhibition.Pinnacles Art Centre
Sunday July 9 2006
Day8am – noonTOTTS Inc – Walk from Loam IslandThe Valley
11am – 6pmMulti-cultural Food CourtFood Court
noon – 4pmFamily Picnic presented by NQ WaterThe Valley
noon – 4pmRiverway Rowing ChallengeRoss River
2pm – 3pmSerenata – Flute and String QuartetLagoon Stage
3pm – 4pmHowlin Blue DogsLagoon Stage
NQ Toyota Cowboys Player visit presented by Townsville Bulletin
The Valley
4pm – 5pmBarramundi BrothersLagoon Stage
4pm – 5pmDVA is a unique blend of Macedonian and South Indian sounds through the use of percussion, hybrid winds and looping.Riverway Arts Centre
Evening6pm – 8pmRiverway Concert featuring Stiff Gins, a band of two Aboriginal girls who fuss jazz and blues and recreate some classics. They will be supported by local artists Natasha and Nerida George.Amphitheatre Stage
Monday July 10 2006
Daynoon -5pmThuringowa Youth Council Pool Party presented by NQ WaterLagoons
BeatBoxer Beau O’Brien, with Hip Hop acts Blu Tag, and Soldier’s Hill.Lagoons
Evening5.30pm – 7.30pmSquirt, featuring Linsey Pollak, is an interactive and performance installation using water squirted from bottles to trigger the sounds of Australian frogs.Lagoons
7.30pm – 9.30pmRiverway Pop featuring Abby RoadAmphitheatre Stage
Tuesday July 11 2006
Evening5pm - 9pmRiverway Jazz featuring local artists Captain Nemo and Misinterprotato, who are a Brisbane-based Australian piano trio (piano, bass, drums) that performs original contemporary improvised music.
Presented by WATPAC.
Lagoon Stage
7.30pm - 9pmDown By The River is a theatrical representation of the history of the Riverway area. This performance piece will include oral history and images and is a collaboration between Thuringowa Council's Heritage Services and La Luna Youth Arts Inc, funded by RADF and Arts Queensland.Riverway Arts Centre
Wednesday July 12 2006
Day10am
Dorothy the Dinosaur ShowRiverway Arts Centre
NoonCaptain Feathersword Show
2pmDorothy the Dinosaur Show
4pmCaptain Feathersword Show
Presented by QNI.
Evening5pm - 8pmRiverway Strings featuring The Licks + Kirwan High String EnsembleLagoon Stage
8pm - 10.30pmRiverway Comedy featuring Steve Abbott (The Sandman), Rachel Berger, David Williams, and Ahn Do, presented by Ferry Property Group.Riverway Arts Centre
Thursday July 13 2006
Evening5pm - 6pmMelaleuca String QuartetLagoon Stage
6pm - 10pmGulalbi Short Film Festival - view the best of local short films screened alongside the Tropfest Short Film Festival finalistsAmphitheatre Stage
8pm - 10pmKate Miller Heidke. Her pieces range from haunting, sliding melodies to a comic opera and her own pop songs. Hailed as "One of the most exciting female performers to recently emerge" Courier Mail)Riverway Arts Centre
Friday July 14 2006
Evening5pm - 9pmMulti-cultural Food CourtFood Court
Riverway Night Markets with Rhythm Connection and Brasil Capoera, presented by Santalucia GroupVillage Spine
5pm - 10pmRiverway Blues presented by Telstra Country Wide, featuring - Freedom Express, Matt Ryder, Hat Fitz and Ichy who combine control of mayhem in a repertoire that includes his own interpretations of blues classics as well as a swag of original songs. Collard Greens and Gravy-winners of Best Independent Blues Album in Tennessee 2005.Amphitheatre Stage
7pmFluid Vision is a screen of water, a short film, GLOW dancers and local indigenous performance group Nyarku, choreographed into a spectacular performance over the lagoons.Lagoons
7pm - 11pmRiverway Gala Dinner, presented by Honeycombes Property GroupRiverway Arts Centre
Saturday July 15 2006
Day11am - 5pmRiver Activities including water ski, dragon boating & wooden boat displays, presented by Thuringowa WaterRoss River
Market and ExhibitsVillage Spine
Kelso Art Group Exhibition, Punch & Judy Show, Reef HQ Aquarium ShowThe Valley
Multi-cultural Food CourtFood Court
11am - 6pmEat, Drink, Talk Art, a RADF Showcase event - performances and presentations by RADF artistsRiverway Arts Centre
Noon - 5pmTotally WicKid Skate Comp, presented by John Holland Pty Ltd & McMahon Contractors Pty LtdSkate Park
Evening7pm - 10pmKisschasy, from Melbourne, are one of the most promising new acts in the country with songs that are passionate and timeless. concert presented by McDonaldsAmphitheatre Stage
Sunday July 16 2006
Day8am - 11amDaybreak Rotary Fu WalkRiver Pontoon Area
11am - 5pmDance Expo will run all day with local performers from twin cities dance studios and cultural groups, such as Extensions, TAPA, and Bell Academy of Dance.Riverway Arts Centre
River Activities - join in the fun on the river including cruises, outriggers, water skiing, life saving, wooden boatsRoss River
Markets, exhibits and displays. Riverway will come alive with more than 80 exhibition and market stalls.The Valley, Car Park & Village Spine.
Dance And Music featuring the best of local performers including Camarata Singers, WASSA and Claire King and the Jargon.Amphitheatre Stage
Multi-cultural Food CourtFood Court
Evening6pmFire And Water Spectacular will feature giant puppets, a fire breathing dragon, glow and fire dancers, a high tech light show, pyrotechnics show with world class production, presented by Ramm Group and Lancini Group of CompaniesRiver/Amphitheatre Stage

For images of Riverway Arts Centre click here

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