The clash of steel, thunder of hooves and cheers of the crowd have returned to Moreton Bay today as the award-winning Abbey Medieval Festival officially gets underway.
Crowned the nation’s Best Festival and Event at the 2025 Australian Tourism Awards, and now in its 35th year, the Festival has become one of the country’s most sought-after experiences with tickets selling out within minutes of release as medieval enthusiasts, families and curious travellers descend on the region from across Australia and beyond.
For one weekend each year, the grounds of Abbeystowe are transformed into a living medieval world, where knights battle on horseback, artisans demonstrate centuries-old crafts, merchants trade their wares and hundreds of passionate re-enactors bring more than 1,000 years of history to life.
This year’s festival features one of the most anticipated jousting tournaments in its history, led by international guest Stacy Van Dolah-Evans, producer of England’s renowned Arundel International Tournament and one of the world’s premier jousters.
Making the journey from the United Kingdom, Van Dolah-Evans will face off against some of Australia’s finest competitors including Sir Phillip Leitch from Kryal Castle, the 2024 Moreton Bay Joust Champion and Team Australia representative, and Sir Luke Binks, a Moreton Bay local and 2023 tournament winner.
From full-contact combat and siege weaponry to weaving, pottery, music, swordsmanship and medieval feasting, visitors can spend the weekend immersed in the sights, sounds and stories of life between 600AD and 1600AD.
Hundreds of re-enactors from around Australia have travelled to Moreton Bay to take part, spending months researching and recreating authentic clothing, armour, crafts and traditions from the Middle Ages.
“For one weekend, visitors can leave the modern world behind and find themselves in a bustling medieval village complete with knights, merchants, musicians and artisans,” said Abbey Museum Chair and Festival founder Edith Cuffe (otherwise known as Lady Edith of Abbeystowe).
“Whether you’re watching world-class jousting, exploring the encampments or learning a centuries-old craft, there’s something magical about being able to step into another time and experience history coming to life around you,” said Cuffe.
The festival’s popularity comes as immersive and nostalgia-driven travel experiences continue to grow globally, with travellers increasingly seeking experiences that allow them to step into another time and place.
Tourism and Events Moreton Bay CEO Luke Edwards said the Abbey Medieval Festival had become one of Australia’s leading examples of “Time Travel Tourism” – said to be one of the hottest travel trends today.
“People are travelling further and spending more to have experiences that completely transport them somewhere else,” Edwards said.
“For one weekend, visitors can leave the modern world behind and find themselves in a medieval village filled with knights, merchants, musicians and craftsmen. It’s unlike anything else in Australia.
“The fact tickets sell out within minutes shows just how much appetite there is for these immersive experiences.
“What makes Abbey special is that people don’t just come for the festival. They turn it into a winter escape, exploring Bribie Island, enjoying local food, discovering our hinterland and visiting the Abbey Museum of Art and Archeology, which is open year-round.”
Just up the road from the festival grounds, travellers can explore the beaches of Bribie Island, enjoy fresh local seafood, visit farm gates and cafes, or continue their journey through history at the Abbey Museum.
As thousands gather this weekend to witness knights charging into battle and medieval life brought vividly back to life, one thing is clear: time travel has arrived in Moreton Bay.
