Triumphant Return for Aussie Country Music Festivals

Australia’s top country music festivals are confident that the looming summer series will be a strong one for the sector following the pandemic.

In recent weeks, Savannah in the Round (Qld), CMC Rocks (Qld), Deni Ute Muster (NSW) and Gympie Muster (Qld) reported promising growth in crowds.

Groundwater (Gold Coast) and Tamworth Country Music festivals have similar sturdy expectations.

Last weekend, Savannah had 16,000, up from last year’s 11,000, to Mareeba Rodeo Arena near Cairns. As a result, its economic impact on the region rose to $3.6 million from $2.6 million.

The lineup widened to overseas acts (Brad Paisley, Mackenzie Porter) and more pop-rock names such as Vanessa Amorosi, Jon Stevens, Black Sorrows and Tex Perkins.

Marketing spending by tourism partners increased to offer more packages to the Great Barrier Reef, the Daintree, Port Douglas, ballooning above the Atherton Tablelands and more.

“We are a destination festival, and we work closely with the tourism authorities,” promoter James Dein told TMN.

“Half our audience comes from outside the region, and they come with plans to visit local attractions before or after the festival.”

CMC Rocks (September 23 to 25), the first since March 2019, drew a capacity 22,000 people to Willowbank Speedway in Ipswich.

Co-promoter Michael Chugg called it “a triumphant return, something we’ve waited for, for over three years” with Brad Paisley, Kane Brown, Morgan Evans, Lee Kernaghan and Casey Barnes on its bill.

“When we cancelled a week out in 2020, we refunded 50% of what we sold, and resold the whole thing within 24 hours of announcing the new (September) dates,” Chugg added.

The team has only six months to prepare for the 2023 version, its 16th anniversary, which returns in March. The lineup is expected to drop on October 11.

Qld tourism minister Stirling Hinchliffe said it’d boost Ipswich’s visitor economy by $14 million.

Also returning on the weekend, after three years, was the Deni Ute Muster to Deniliquin.

It drew 18,000 over two days “which will create an economic stimulus of at least $10 million to our region,” GM Vicky Lowry estimated.

There was growth in the 30—50 age group, and families made up 70% of attendees. A focus on making it more family-friendly began in 2014.

“The Deni Ute Muster needed to evolve as we were seeing many patrons who attended our first Muster in 1999 now attending with their families,” Lowry added.

“Our program has widened to cater for all ages from toddlers through to 50+.”

Aside from sets from Paisley, Troy Cassar-Daley, John Williamson, Jessica Mauboy and Busby Marou, events ranged from Bluey, The Dinosaur Show to lantern making and bull riding.

The World Record Blue Singlet Count drew 4,136 entrants and another world record held for the greatest number (7,962) of utes in a single location.

Lowry summed up Deni Muster’s continued appeal: “We are iconically Australian, relaxing, fun, social, filled with mateship and new friends attending for the same interests.”

Gympie Muster marketing manager Tracey McKean suggests friendliness is a crucial element for country music festivals.

“There are no strangers at the Muster, just friends you haven’t met yet.

“Country music camping festivals provide a relaxed vibe with the best of both worlds, our patrons come to enjoy not only the music but enjoy the atmosphere.”

The Gympie Muster (August 24 to 27) in Amamoor Creek State Forest in Queensland raised $5 million for the local economy, with 45,000 through the gates over four days.

“Ticket sales showed that more people than ever stayed longer than other years, many taking the opportunity to camp the week leading into the event and explore what the Gympie region has to offer,” McKean said.

She noted a greater diversity in the crowd, with more younger peopled and family groups, adding, “Muster patrons this year were much more self-sufficient than pre-covid crowds. Many people now have caravans and motorhomes.”

The free Groundwater (October 28 to 30) was designated a “major event” in 2019 by Tourism and Events Queensland after it drew 70,000 and its economic boost jumped 25% to $5 million.

Mark Duckworth, director of Festivals and Events at Major Events Gold Coast expects a similar turnout in parks, streets and venues.

“Our attendees come from right across the country and from overseas so when they come for the festival, they make it a holiday and stay in our accommodation, eat in our restaurants, and enjoy everything else the Gold Coast offers.”

Duckworth attributes a key to Groundwater’s growth to a realistic appraisal of what attendees want, “and always working on surprise and delight moments – both on and off stage – that make people want to return year on year.

“The country music community really knows how to dig in and have a good time with each other and welcome new fans with open arms,” he added.

“The people dance, they sing and they support new artists and want to see them succeed.

“As Groundwater has no fences or entry gates, we’ve never had to worry about age demographics or perceptions of who can attend the event.”

With the 2023 version of January’s Tamworth Country Music Festival sailing into calmer waters – it was cancelled in 2021 and moved to April this year – shows have begun to sell out.

GM Barry Harley anticipates a return to pre-covid attendance figures of 50,000, injecting $51.6 million into Tamworth’s economy.

TCMF continues to draw younger audiences, which it follows up with greater marketing on social media while still focusing on its family and grey nomad core.

Two new additions to the schedule are Country Sounds in WA’s southwest (Brunswick Showgrounds, December 10) topped by Kasey Chambers and Lee Kernahan, while the NSW country town of Narromine (pop: 6,000) is hosting a festival dedicated to Dolly Parton during the October long weekend.