FESTIVAL SEASON IS APPROACHING | NE DOWN UNDER
Less than a month before winter is over and spring greets us with warm open arms on the southern hemisphere so summer festivals are automatically on my mind. As an avid music festival goer, I love knowing about the range of events happening so I can pick the best ones for me.
Good Things Festival
Considering the fact that Good Things is known as Australia’s favourite alternative music festival, it’s no wonder the anticipation for the 2025 lineup drop was so huge. Last year the Sydney show was held at Centennial Park whereas the festival has announced a venue upgrade to Sydney Showground. On Instagram, the festival claimed “The Sydney Showground venue offers larger capacity, enhanced shelter and facilities, and greatly improved accessibility for all patrons. The venue also provides better transport options with integrated services, making your journey to and from Good Things Festival much easier – so you can focus on what matters most: the music.”
This year will be the 6th year running (started in 2018 but took 2 years off due to Covid restrictions) and hopefully the biggest year yet. Good Things explains that their festival is “established by a team of seasoned industry professionals who have promoted, booked and managed most of Australia’s major music festivals over the past 20 years, Good Things aims to fill a gap in the market by showcasing the best local, national and international bands in world-class venues with high-level production.”
Good Things 2025 features some incredible artists including Weezer, The All American Rejects, Palaye Royale, Wargasm and headlining is Tool.
Friday 5th December – Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne
Saturday 6th December – Sydney Showground, Sydney
Sunday 7th December – Brisbane Showgrounds, Brisbane
If you’re unable to catch the acts at any of these dates, keep an eye out for the sideshows some of the artists will be doing.
Tickets and more information can be found HERE.
BigSound
If you’re interested in finding the hottest new musicians and artists in all genres then BigSound is probably the festival for you – it is Australia’s leading artist showcase and industry conference. “BIGSOUND is your annual opportunity to discover the future of Australian music. Running in the first week of September, Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley comes alive with a global gathering of musicians, industry, brands, media and music lovers.”
During the days is the biggest music industry gathering and by night the future of music is discovered with 120+ artists showcasing their talents across multiple venues in the live music precinct including Cheeky Leash, Down and Out and There’s a Tuesday.
Tickets and more information can be found HERE.
SummerSalt
With such an incredible lineup, it’s surprising that there has been some unexplained cancellations of dates with this festival (27th September at Woodstock Farm, Tamborine in Queensland and 28th September at Speers Point Park, Lake Macquarie in New South Wales) but fear not as they still have dates in Western Australian and Victoria. The lineup features The Wombats, DMA’s, Ball Park Music and more.
SummerSalt claim “We aim to provide a truly unique feast for the senses – an eclectic concert series with a focus on the proven and beloved performers, creating the perfect setting to either dance with your friends or sit back and chill to the tunes. SummerSalt will be a day of fun in the sun with the perfect soundtrack to match. We respect the gorgeous summer setting we operate in and include green initiatives to minimise our impact on these locations and beyond. Get ready for some sun, salt & music…”
Saturday 20th September – Torquay Common, Torquay VIC
Saturday 4th October – Fremantle Prison, Fremantle WA
Tickets and more information can be found HERE.
Park Waves
“Roll up, roll up and prepare for the most ambitious undertaking by any band in Australian touring history in 2026! In an Australian first, the circus is coming to town next February and March when Park Waves, the curated travelling festival from Australian metal juggernauts Parkway Drive, arrives for its Australian debut. Witness some of the biggest names in the heavy scene under the big top for this monumental and never-before-witnessed event, helmed by Australia’s very own ringmasters of Chaos: Parkway Drive.”
This incredible lineup also features The Amity Affliction, Northlane, Alphawolf and Story of The Year on all 11 tour dates. Winston McCall from Parkway Drive said, “The vision for this is the biggest undertaking in Parkway’s history. A traveling festival run by the band, for the fans. It’s a massive deal for us, so we wanted to make it special. Not only is the line up stacked, for the first time on home soil, we’ll be bringing the iconic and unstoppable The Amity Affliction. Parkway, Amity, Australia. It’s never been bigger. This is the full festival experience, a day to enjoy, connect and get wild. We can’t wait to see you there.”
Saturday 14th February – Langley Park, Perth
Friday 20th February – Adelaide Showground, Adelaide
Sunday 22nd February – Geelong Showground, Geelong
Saturday 28th February – Caribeean Gardens, Scoresby
Sunday 1st March – Bendigo Jockey Club, Bendigo
Thursday 5th March – Thomas Dalton Park, Wollongong
Saturday 7th March – Sydney Dragway, Eastern Creek
Sunday 8th March – Maitland Showground, Maitland
Thursday 12th March – Queens Park, Toowoomba
Saturday 14th March – Cavanbah Centre
Sunday 15th March – Sandstone Point Hotel, Sandstone Point
Tickets and more information can be found HERE.
Spilt Milk
It’s no secret that Spilt Milk gets bigger and bigger every year and this year is no exception, you can expect to see a range of genres from hip hop and rap to rock and pop. It started in 2019 as an exclusive festival in Canberra before expanding to Ballarat in 2019, Gold Coast in 2022 and Perth in 2023. This festival is due to travel the country with 4 dates in December and has an incredible lineup featuring Kendrick Lamar, Doechii, Rum Jungle, Rebecca Black, The Dreggs and many more.
Saturday 6th December – Ballarat/Wadawurrung
Sunday 7th December – Perth/Whadjuk
Saturday 13th December – Canberra/Ngunnawal
Sunday 14th December – Gold Coast/Kombumerri
This event is already almost fully sold out – Perth being the only one with tickets still available but you can join the waitlist for the other dates in case extra tickets become available.
Tickets and more information can be found HERE.
Wanderer Festival
“Wanderer heralds a watershed new genre of boutique festival: a truly multi-generational celebration of music, art, culture and place across two days and founded on the core tenets of sustainability, community and creativity. A sanctuary of music, art and community crafted with Wanderer’s different audiences in mind in three unique spaces.”
Wanderer is a two day festival held on the first weekend in October at a costal location in Pambula Beach, New South Wales. This years lineup features Saint Motel, The Living End, Hockey Dad, Magic Dirt and many more.
“It started out as a holiday. A chance to take some time out after creating some of Australia’s most iconic music-fuelled gatherings: Falls Festival and The Lost Lands… Set in gorgeous tree-lined fields and only a short walk to Pambula Beach, Wanderer is a festival for everyone and comprising three unique spaces: Wanderer, Drifter and Lost. Wanderer’s stages, spaces and campgrounds are dedicated and created purposefully for folks of all ages. Reconnect. Explore. Discover. Be a Wanderer.”
Tickets and more information can be found HERE.
See you in the fields!
