FOUR DAYS TO GO AND EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GYMPIE MUSIC MUSTER
Whether you’re a 36-year veteran, a brand new fan, or somewhere in between, this year’s Gympie Music Muster is shaping up to be one of the best yet. With a festival as iconic and long-standing as Gympie, visitors often know what to expect. Kicking off this Thursday, the Muster is proud to bring you a whole host of new experiences, as well as everything you already love about this iconic Australian festival.
Here are some things that haven’t changed:
- The festival’s beautiful setting in the Amamoor State Forest in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, which will be made even more perfect by the weather forecast – fine and sunny with slightly chilly mornings, and temperatures in the mid-twenties. Nothing will stop you from dancing the day away to your favourite bands, and enjoying your nights making new friends around the campfire (assuming The Rural Fire Brigade determines them safe, of course. For up to date advice on campfires, please check with your camp warden).
- The boot-scootin’ community pre-party on Mary Street, Gympie the day before the festival, where visitors can enjoy live music, a bunch of shopping and food options, free shuttles to the festival grounds, and the true-blue country hospitality of Gympie locals.
- The Muster’s emphasis on charity and giving back to the community; as a not-for-profit charity event, the festival has raised in excess of $15 Million for charities Australia wide since its inception. The Muster’s continuing partnership with the charity Mates4Mates, which helps Australian Defence Force personnel with mental and physical injuries as a result of their service, is a testament to their community spirit.
- The huge variety of stalls available on-site, including Spanish, Turkish, Moroccan, Mexican, Cuban, Japanese, Indian, Texan, Greek, Italian, Portuguese and Aussie cuisines, and a bunch of unique shops selling everything from Australiana Books and Gifts, personalised stubby coolers, pottery and lamps, to leather goods, hand made clothing and 44 gallon drum furniture.
- As Australia’s largest camping music festival, the Muster just wouldn’t be the same without the adventure of camping out under the stars with your mates. Ticket sales are powering ahead, and an aggregate audience to match last year’s numbers of 30,000 expected. With about half of Muster patrons camping, and nearly 1,000 rope off permits already sold, you’re sure to meet some new friends on the friendly camp grounds.
- The cashless payment system, which will be operating for all bars and some food stalls, making it even quicker and easier to enjoy all of the Muster’s tasty options. Your festival entry wristband includes a chip which can be pre-loaded at one of two Exchange Booths on site – behind the Windmill Bar and opposite the Blues Club. These booths are open 8am-2am every day, with volunteers to assist. Wristbands are valid at all bars or food stalls; however, some of our stallholders will still accept cash.
- The unparalleled lineup of 100% Australian talent, sure to cater to everyone’s music taste. This year’s highlights include Jessica Mauboy, Adam Brand, Busby Marou, Graeme Connors, Amber Lawrence, Travis Collins, Sunny Cowgirls, Catherine Britt, Fanny Lumsden, Troy Kemp, Caitlyn Shadbolt and many, many more.
Jessica Mauboy
For those Muster-goers who know all of this as old-hat, here are the things that are special about the 2017 festival:
- This year’s festival is introducing a whole bunch of new activities outside the huge stars performing, including an 80’s party, rock ‘n’ roll dancing, and line dancing classes! Put on your dancing shoes and let professionals show you some moves to the very best country, rock and pop tunes, every morning in the Blues and Roots Bar on a special wooden dance-floor. You’ll be hooked before you know it.
- Get even deeper into the Muster’s love for music with daily songwriter’s sessions at 1 pm in The Grove, as well as the 70-minute-long Fender Guitar Jam. This guitar-shredding jam session will feature the cream of Australia’s guitarist crop, including Travis Collins, Adam Eckersley Band, Joe Robinson, Dean Ray, Reece Mastin, Linc Phelps, Matt Smith of Thirsty Merc, Shane Pacey and Eben Hale from the Bondi Cigars, Tim Gaze and The Mercurys, Simon Kinney Lewis, Brendan Radford Band, Mason Rack and Judah Kelly.
- The golden girl of Australian country music, Amber Lawrence will be bringing her Kids Gone Country show to the Muster at 10.15am Friday and Saturday in The Grove! This is a Muster must do for young ones!
- The Muster hill will come alive Friday night when we raise our voices for a special sing-along with Busby Marou, to be recorded by ABC Radio. Don’t miss your chance to be part of Muster history at 9 pm on Friday on Main Stage in Let’s Paint This Land. “Arms above, together we are one. With our hearts in our hands, you and I will paint this land.”
The Muster runs from Thursday, August 24 – Sunday, August 27, 2017.
To book tickets visit www.muster.com.au or phone:
1300 GET TIX (1300 438 849).