Lunar New Year 2024: dragons take over regional Australian streets

Dragons, the only mythical creature in the Chinese zodiac, controlled the wind and rain and breathe clouds and bestow good luck. The dragon commands power and strength.

The 2024 wood-element dragon, last celebrated in 1964, was also believed to bring vitality and creativity.

Lunar New Year falls on Saturday February 10. Those born in the Year of the Dragon celebrate birthdays in 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976 in the 12 year cycle of the Chinese zodiac.

READ MORE: Here's a simple Chinese feast to prepare for Lunar New Year

Regional Australian towns from Atherton in northern Queensland to Bendigo in central Victoria are dusting off their metres-long dragon puppets and preparing to celebrate Chinese heritage in the country.

Bendigo's "favourite" dragon, Sun Loong, will briefly come out of retirement for the 2024 celebrations as dancers parade through the streets with the town's decades-old puppet.

"The first recorded appearance of a dragon in Bendigo was in 1892, here we are 132 years later and our fascination and living culture of dragons continues to the present day," Bendigo Chinese Association president Doug Lougoon said.

Sun Loong, and the dragon puppets that came before and after, have been used by Bendigo's Chinese community to raise money for the town's hospital since the late 1800s.

Food vendors and martial artists join Sun Loong in Bendigo's celerations in the Dai Gum San Precinct on February 10 from 5.30pm to 8.30pm in the free community event.

Ballarat's gold rush era open-air museum, Sovereign Hill, has planned an extravagant celebration to welcome the wood dragon on February 17 and 18 from 10am to 5pm.

Dragon and lion parades as well as live performances are booked to entertain the crowds while street food vendors selling dumplings and noodles will be open to keep the crowds well-fed.

"Watch Main Street come alive in an explosion of colour, music, and dancing with a spectacular dragon and lion parade," a Sovereign Hill spokesperson said.

Access to festivities at Sovereign Hill is included in ticket prices - $49 for adults and $29 for children.

Warrnambool is hosting a "bring-a-plate" Lunar New Year celebration at the Archie Graham Community Centre between 11am and 1pm on February 10.

"As we usher in the auspicious Year of the Dragon, we invite you to join us for a joyous Lunar New Year celebration," organisers said.

"Please bring a dish that holds special significance for you during Lunar New Year, or simply something that you love and enjoy sharing.

"Let's come together to savor a diverse array of flavors and create lasting memories."

The celebration is free but organisers request attendees RSVP before the event.

Thrilling lion dances welcome Wollongong residents to the 2024 Lunar New Year celebrations held at Crown Street Mall on February 15.

"Come along and watch live performances throughout the evening to bring good luck, drive away evil spirits, and welcome an exciting new year," a Wollongong spokesperson said.

Night markets on Crown Street run from 5pm to 9pm and a live DJ, who takes requests, has been booked to entertain the crowds.

Nan Tien temple, a Fo Guang Shan monastery in Wollongong's south, will also host free night markets from 6pm on February 9.

Fans of Chinese food are invited to join the "mystery Monday" feast at the Commonwealth Hotel in Newcastle to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

Their three-course meal is a surprise selection of Chinese delights for $45 per person on February 12. Bookings are essential.

North Queensland's Hou Wang Chinese Temple and Museum will host a free Lunar New Year spectacular on February 10 to celebrate Atherton's long connection with Chinese culture.

Calligraphy, guided historic tours, zodiac facepainting, Chinese produce and food vendors will be at the museum on February 10 from 10am to 3pm.

National Trust of Australia heritage site co-ordinator Simone Phillips said Chinese settlers, who had been displaced from the gold fields, moved into Atherton and established a Chinatown at the close of the 19^th century.

"The temple of Hou Wang Miau in North Queensland is a rare remnant of a once-thriving Chinatown established in the 1880s," she said.

"The Feng Shui was great here, the way the mountains tie back into the spring that runs through Chinatown."

The temple, made from corrugated iron and Atherton timber, is "a real east meets west".