World · East Asia & Pacific · 3 hrs ago
Aussie Red Hatters gather in Queensland for fun and friendship
Some 328 Aussie Red Hatters are gathering in Queensland for the 16th Queensland Girlfriends Giggle, a convention for women over 50.
The group plans to cruise past jacaranda trees in bloom and perform the Hokey Pokey at the Goodna Jacaranda Festival.
Aussie Red Hatters has about 370 chapters across Australia and describes itself as a social group built around fun and friendship.
The Australian group is not affiliated with the US Red Hat Society, though it adopted a similar idea.
The US society began in 1998, and the concept was inspired by a poem about enjoying life more freely as you grow older.
For many members, the group provides a social life and ways to share interests, from reading and cards to dancing.
The Queensland Girlfriends Giggle 2026 brings 328 women from across Australia together for the 16th Aussie Red Hatters convention.
The event’s theme is fun and flowers, with activities including a boat trip to see jacaranda trees and a planned Hokey Pokey dance at the Goodna Jacaranda Festival.
Aussie Red Hatters is a social group for women over 50 that encourages fun, friendship and exploring new interests.
The Australian group uses the Red Hat Society name but says it is not affiliated with the US-based society.
- Who
- 328 women from across Australia who are members of the Aussie Red Hatters.
- What
- They are gathering for the Queensland Girlfriends Giggle 2026, the group’s 16th convention.
- When
- October 2026. The convention includes activities on Friday and Saturday.
- Where
- Queensland, including Brisbane and the Goodna Jacaranda Festival.
- Why
- To enjoy fun and friendship and connect with other women.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The Red Hat Society started in the United States.
The Ruby Ragers held their first meeting.
Aussie Red Hatters performed the Hokey Pokey.
The Queensland Girlfriends Giggle convention is planned, with 328 women registered.
- Convention
- Queensland Girlfriends Giggle 2026
- Attendance
- 328 women registered
- Convention history
- 16th Aussie Red Hatters convention
- Ruby Ragers
- First meeting held in 2012
- Red Hat Society
- Started in the United States in 1998
What people are saying
Little old ladies with grey hair, they get overlooked quite a bit, and that's the theme of the Red Hatters — that we're not going to get grey hair and do it quietly.
On Friday we've got boats cruising to see the jacaranda trees in bloom, then on Saturday we're going to the Goodna Jacaranda Festival to do a flash mob dance to the hokey pokey
We are a worldwide group of ladies, and it's purely a social group that connects, supports and encourages women in their pursuit of fun, friendship, freedom, fulfilment and fitness
The Red Hat Society started in America in 1998 and the Australian group have the same name, but we aren't affiliated with them