Basque Club NQ

Some special visitors in the ABC North Queensland studio with Michael Clarke this morning.

Sienna Cottone, Cameron Nelson and Ainara Kelly are young Townsville residents who are part of the Basque Club of North Queensland - one of the region's most active and vibrant cultural groups.

The club has been a part of the local community for generations, providing connections for the families of people who came from the region of northern Spain and southwestern France. It's a place with its own distinctive food, culture and language.

Ainara, Cameron and Sienna are about to make their way to the Basque Country at the special invitation of the Basque government for a cultural exchange initiative.

The program will see the three hosted by local Basque families while undertaking daily language classes, traditional cooking workshops, cultural activities and dance lessons. Participants will also travel throughout all seven Basque provinces across Spain and France, visiting significant historical, cultural and architectural landmarks.

This is the very first time that Australia has taken part in the exchange, and our national ambassadors are not coming from Sydney or Melbourne, but Townsville.

Good luck to Sienna, Cameron and Ainara. Have a great trip.

Congratulations to Joe and Ramon, who recently competed in the Australian Mus Championships in Sydney. The cousins remained undefeated throughout the tournament and progressed all the way to the semi-finals. Unfortunately, their impressive run came to an end at that stage, preventing them from advancing further.
Zorionak to you both on this outstanding achievement. The Basque Club is incredibly proud of your efforts!

Enjoy the photos of Joe and Ramon (supported by Carmel and Regina) competing at Sydney’s “Gure Txoko”.

Eskerrik asko to the Balanzategui family and the team who hosted today’s event at the clubhouse. The day was the perfect blend of delicious food, great company and ideal weather. The photos give a glimpse of today’s sumptuous feast. How fortunate we are to have club families and their friends who regularly volunteer to coordinate our gatherings. Take a bow, Balanzategui Group- it was tremendous!

The Basque Club extends its best wishes to Ramon and Joe who will travel to Sydney next weekend to compete in the Australian Mus Championships. The two cousins are currently the Australian champions and we can’t wait to hear about the tournament when they return!!

Best wishes to Ainara, Cameron and Sienna who will travel to Euskadi later this month to participate in “Ateak Ireki”, a cultural immersion program for youth from the international Basque diaspora. What an exciting opportunity for our youth to reconnect and immerse themselves in the Basque culture.

Huevos rancheros, patata bravak, sangria, and North Queensland sunshine! Mil esker to the Men’s cooking group for today’s brunch. A lovely day was enjoyed by friends and family. The perfect way to celebrate our Amarren Eguna Hamarretako.

Kaixo danori, 

Our annual Mother’s Day brunch will be held on Sunday, the 10th of May.

Doors will open at 9.30 am and brunch will be served at around 10.30 am. The cost is $35 for members and $40 for non members .

To avoid disappointment, please rsvp early to [email protected].

The Men’s Group is delighted to cater for this event and we thank them for their generosity in volunteering their time and cooking expertise. If anybody would like to assist the group (in any capacity) please send an email to the club and we will pass on your message.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

A perfect Sunday afternoon gathering at the Basque Club.

The humidity could not dampen anybody’s enthusiasm at today’s lunch. Thank you to Mary, the Burdekin cooks, committee members and volunteers who helped to ensure today’s success. Welcome to Felix who joined us from Euskadi and rekindled his ties to North Queensland. We look forward to a great 2026 at the Basque Club of North Queensland!!