Ingham Maraka Festival

05/11/2025

🎉 𝗔 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗸𝗮 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀! 🎉

We want to give one last, loud-and-proud shoutout to the incredible businesses, individuals, and organisations who made the 𝗜𝗻𝗴𝗵𝗮𝗺 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗸𝗮 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 possible. From major contributions to quiet acts of generosity—every bit of support helped bring our community celebration to life. 💛

Whether you donated, judged, photographed, cooked, printed, powered, pampered, or simply cheered us on—𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂. You are the heartbeat of Maraka.

🙏 If we’ve missed anyone from the list below, please accept our sincere apologies—and know your support is deeply appreciated.

💥 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀 💥
2dayhire – Chloe Day
Ann & Anthony Vardanega – Judge & Photographer
Barnes Sewing Centre
Beauty on Lannercost
Bisson’s Electrical
BK Bartolini Concreting & Earthworks
Bossi Boots
Canegrowers Mitre 10
Cantatore Pharmacy
Carey Group
Cellarbration Ingham
Chiesa & Sons Butchery
Coles Supermarket Ingham
Connecting the Dots Through Play
Cullen Guest House
Damo’s WorkWear/Menz
Devietti Motors / Ingham Mazda
Donna’s Total Body Fitness
Elders Insurance
Emmy’s Kitchen
Ergon Energy
Felix Reitano Furniture & Real Estate
Forrest Beach News
Friends of the Wild / Buck Wild Country
Galipo’s Midtown Meats
Gilroy College
Guido’s Panel & Paint
Harvey Norman Ingham
Hinchinbrook Aquatic Centre
Hinchinbrook Car Wash
Hinchinbrook Dental Group
Hinchinbrook Life (paper)
Hinchinbrook Shire Council
Hinchinbrook Traffic Control
Hip Pocket
House of Harvey
I Love Boutique
Ingham Agencies
Ingham Family Medical Practice
Ingham Manufactures – Mighty Helpful Mitre 10
Ingham McDonalds & Grimace
Ingham Post Office
Ingham Real Estate
Ingham Sugar City Rodeo Inc
Ingham Underagers
Ingham WholeLife Pharmacy & Health Foods
JB Mechanical & Suspension
JK’s Deli
Johnny’s Fish Bar
Julie’s Pasta Shop
Justine’s Hair Design
Keita Services
La Monro Hair & Beauty
Liddles Air Service
Lisa Maree
Lou’s Food Emporium
Luke’s Giudicatti Exercise Physiology
Maddie’s Hair Bar
Majestic Cafe
Mandy’s Beauty in the Bush
Maraka Festival Committee Members
Marian & Piera Catering
Merv’s Stationery
NewsExtra Ingham
NQ Employment – Ingham
NQ Travel & Cruise
NQIB
Peta Hill Photography
Qld Cane Agricultural & Renewables (QCAR)
Qld Events & Ingham Chamber of Commerce Tourism & Industry Inc
Rachel Cauchi Optometrists
Ray White Ingham
Repco Ingham
Royal Hotel
Sadleirs Terry White Chemmart Ingham
Shades n Blades Hairdressing
Snippers Boutique
SpinFX Electrical NQ
Sports Power Ingham
Stokes & Company
Townsville Lime & Gypsum
TripleM
Tropical Vet Services
Tropixx Motel
Tweak Fitness Ingham 24/7
Tyre Power Ingham
United Petroleum Ingham
Vista Hinchinbrook
Wild Local Prawns
Wilmar Sugar
Windlab Pty Ltd

💫 You’ve helped us create memories that will last a lifetime. Here's to community, connection, and celebration—see you at the next Maraka!

Hinchinbrook Shire Council Wilmar Sugar and Renewables Triple M Townsville

North Queensland Insurance Brokers Pty Ltd Queensland Cane Agriculture & Renewables Rachel Cauchi Optometrists SpinFX Electrical

BK Bartolini Concreting & Earthworks - Brett Bartolini Ergon Energy Network Carey Group

Guido's PANEL and PAINT Townsville Lime & Gypsum Tropical Vets

Hinchinbrook Life Harvey Norman

04/11/2025

🎉 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗞𝗔 𝗙𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗔𝗟 𝗦𝗨𝗥𝗩𝗘𝗬 – 𝗪𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀!🎉

Another Maraka Festival done and dusted and a massive thank you to everyone who came out and 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 and 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 and 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 and 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 the 2025 Festival! Your energy, smiles, and community spirit made it one to remember. 💖

We’d love to 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗬𝗢𝗨! What did you love? What could we improve? Got ideas for next year?

𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗻𝘆𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄 👇

🔗 https://forms.gle/knswMc8QspCYFvjg7

We’ve already received some great feedback—but we’re greedy and want more! 😄

Last year’s survey helped shape this year’s festival with changes to venues, more food stalls and extra entertainment.

Let’s keep building a festival that reflects our amazing community. Your voice matters!

Hinchinbrook Shire Council Hinchinbrook Festival of Events Hinchinbrook Life

03/11/2025

𝗠𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗔𝗚𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗞𝗔 𝗙𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗔𝗟 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗧

As the 2025 Ingham Maraka Festival “Music thru the Ages” comes to a close, we extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who contributed to making this year’s festival a resounding success. The festival brought together the vibrant spirit of our community, showcasing the best of what Ingham has to offer.

A special thank you goes to our dedicated committee members who worked tirelessly behind the scenes. Your commitment and passion made this festival possible. We also want to express our heartfelt appreciation to our generous major Diamond sponsors, including Wilmar Sugar and Renewables, Windlab, Hinchinbrook Shire Council and Triple M, as well as each sponsor, big and small. Your support was invaluable in bringing our vision to life.

We are pleased to announce and extend our warmest congratulations to the winners of the 2025 Maraka Queen Quest, proudly sponsored by Rachael Cauchi Optometrists. This year’s Maraka Queen title was awarded to Ainslee DiMaggio, with Trista Kopeshke named as Runner-up. In the 2025 Maraka Princess Quest, sponsored by Windlab, Ashley Swarbrick was crowned Maraka Princess with Vanessa Wilson receiving Runner-up honours. Your enthusiasm and dedication shone throughout the festival, inspiring everyone around you.

To all our Queen and Princess entrants, schools, and the wonderful mums and dads who participated: your involvement made every event from the Run-Swim-Run to the Wilmar Sugar & Renewables Wine and Cheese Night, Careys Group and Ray White Ingham Afternoon Tea, Harvey Norman Ingham Spot the Window, Kids Big Day Out supported by Tropical Vets, McDonalds, Ingham, SpinFX Electrical NQ, and Hinchinbrook Life, and the spectacular Ergon and BK Bartolini Concreting & Earthworks Parade—a memorable experience.

The grand finale, featuring the NQIB Mardi Gras Stage Ingham Agencies and Townsville Lime & Gypsum Fireworks and the QCAR Mardi Gras bar was a testament to the incredible talent and creativity of our community.

A special thanks to Nick Dametto (our outgoing Local Member) for his outstanding support over the years and for being a great Emcee. We wish you all the very best for your future endeavours. Also, thank you to Maddyn White, a past Maraka Queen, who has supported us over many years as emcee at Maraka Events. A warm welcome to our latest addition to the Maraka family, Carley Whittington who has moved back to Ingham.

We also want to acknowledge our 2024 Quest winners: Maraka Queen Montana, Runner-up Johanna, and past Maraka Princesses Hazel and runner-up Millie for your contributions during the year. Your legacy continues to inspire us all.

Lastly, we extend our gratitude to the Hinchinbrook community, Tourism and Events Queensland, and the Hinchinbrook Chamber of Commerce Tourism & Industry for the grant that contributed to this year’s festival. Your contributions have helped us celebrate our culture and community spirit in such a remarkable way. A special thanks to Ann and Anthony Vardanega and Sheri Hensler-Adams from Hinchinbrook Life, as well as Chris and Christine Spencer from the Hinchinbrook Festival of Events for your excellent photography and co-promotion.

Thank you all for making the Ingham Maraka Festival a cherished tradition and a highlight of our year. We look forward to celebrating together again in the future!

Patrick Lynch
2025 Ingham Maraka Festival President

02/11/2025

01/11/2025

📸 All photos by Ann or Anthony Vardanega.

🎉 It’s volunteers like Ann and Anthony who bring the Ingham Maraka Festival to life! Their passion and dedication help make this celebration possible—and unforgettable—for our whole community.

Hinchinbrook Life

01/11/2025

📸 All photos by Ann or Anthony Vardanega.

🎉 It’s volunteers like Ann and Anthony who bring the Ingham Maraka Festival to life! Their passion and dedication help make this celebration possible—and unforgettable—for our whole community.

SpinFX Electrical

01/11/2025

📸 All photos by Ann or Anthony Vardanega.

🎉 It’s volunteers like Ann and Anthony who bring the Ingham Maraka Festival to life! Their passion and dedication help make this celebration possible—and unforgettable—for our whole community.

Guido's PANEL and PAINT McDonald's

01/11/2025

📸 All photos by Ann or Anthony Vardanega.

🎉 It’s volunteers like Ann and Anthony who bring the Ingham Maraka Festival to life! Their passion and dedication help make this celebration possible—and unforgettable—for our whole community.

North Queensland Insurance Brokers Pty Ltd Rachel Cauchi Optometrists

01/11/2025

📸 All photos by Ann or Anthony Vardanega.

🎉 It’s volunteers like Ann and Anthony who bring the Ingham Maraka Festival to life! Their passion and dedication help make this celebration possible—and unforgettable—for our whole community.

Tropical Vets

01/11/2025

📸 All photos by Ann or Anthony Vardanega.

🎉 It’s volunteers like Ann and Anthony who bring the Ingham Maraka Festival to life! Their passion and dedication help make this celebration possible—and unforgettable—for our whole community.

Ergon Energy Network BK Bartolini Concreting & Earthworks - Brett Bartolini

28/10/2025

🎉 Huge thanks to Tropical Vets Ingham for not only sponsoring but also coordinating this year’s Maraka Pet Parade! 🐾

Your dedication and continued support make this event possible—and our community is all the brighter for it.

We couldn’t do it without you!