In 2026, we celebrate 40 years since the first Kilkivan Great Horse Ride in 1986.
To commemorate the anniversary we’ve put together a special ride on Saturday 11th April 2026, which closely follows the original route the riders took 40 years ago. Riders can camp at Thornside, Widgee on Friday night.
This ride is approximately 30km, starts from Thornside at Widgee and is a ride for fit horses & experienced riders only as we’ll be navigating steep climbs and descents. Boots or shoes are a strongly recommended. Morning tea and lunch are included with ride ticketing, our lunch stop will be at the Kilkivan Bush Camp where there will be time to rest your horse before we leave to join all the other riders at Kilkivan for the famous street parade at 4pm.
Get ready for a weekend packed with all the activities you could expect of a country festival!
Bring the family, bring a friend, bring the dog & enjoy great entertainment, good food, the ‘campdraft bar’, shopping, demonstrations, horse show events, main street markets & so much more!
Entry is FREE – that’s right – entry to the festival is free, so there’s no excuse not to get on down to the Kilkivan Showgrounds & enjoy some authentic country hospitality.
Kilkivan Great Horse Ride & Kilkivan Country Festival is an annual event held in Kilkivan, South-East Queensland. The event is organised by the Kilkivan Great Horse Ride Inc., a not-for-profit community organisation run by volunteers.
PO Box 52
Kilkivan Queensland 4600