Get the appPatrick Blume has transformed his Sunbury home into a Cannibal Carnival for Halloween, a new interactive haunted experience. Killer clowns will spook visitors, and new carnival games offer prizes for those who take part. Blume says the event is free, apart from the food truck, and suits a trick-or-treating stop. It runs from 3pm to 10pm on Saturday 31 October. He advises visitors to arrive early, as wait times may be long.
Young swimmers from across Queensland will compete at the Beef City Swimming Carnival this weekend at the 2nd World War Memorial Pool, Rockhampton. Rockhampton Regional Council is backing the event, hosted by Caribeae Swimming Club, with a $4,500 sponsorship through its Community Assistance Program. Councillor Cherie Rutherford said such carnivals help athletes build confidence, learn from peers and gain pathways to national and international competition, while also boosting local visitor spending. Competitors aged eight and over will race across all strokes and medley events, and the fastest will contest the David Milburn Top Gun event.
The cruise ship Crown Princess arrived in Fremantle at about 6 am and is due to leave for Broome at 4 pm. The ship carries 2,414 passengers and 1,117 crew, and 632 passengers are booked on organised tours. Australians took a record 1.45 million ocean cruises in 2025. However, Carnival has cut its year-round Australian fleet from four ships to two, citing uncertain government support and regulatory costs. Cruise ships generated $289.5 million for Fremantle's economy in 2023-24.
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Get the appCarnival Cruises will remove two of its four Australian cruise ships from March 2028. The Carnival Adventure and Carnival Luminosa will be pulled, while the Carnival Encounter and Carnival Splendor will stay. Carnival said it was weighing long-term certainty and global operating conditions. Maritime historian Chris Frame said costs such as berthing, refuelling and food supplies make Australia harder to operate in profitably. The move follows a change to cruise labour law exemptions, which now include new worker protections. Carnival denied workers' claims of long hours and unsafe conditions.
The Hay Magpies women's squad reached the grand final of the Albury Thunder Nines Carnival at Lavington Sportsground, despite playing with a short bench. Hay lost 26-0 to the undefeated Australasia Barbarians in the decider. Earlier, Hay had beaten the Wangaratta Knights 26-0 and the Steam Bears 32-0 in pool matches. Coaches Jessie Carter and Neil-John Nisbet have been re-appointed for the 2027 Group 20 season, as the side chases a fourth consecutive premiership.
Around 50 students from Bass Coast Specialist School and South Gippsland Specialist School took part in their third annual joint swimming carnival on Tuesday, October 13. The event was held at the Bass Coast Aquatic and Leisure Centre. Students swam using modified strokes, took part in a two-person relay, and finished the day with a teacher-versus-student race. Staff said the event aimed to be inclusive and give every student a sense of achievement, regardless of ability. After the carnival, both groups were due to attend a barbecue at Bass Coast Specialist School.