Australia News: The Return Of Mega-Audiences; Gudinski Honored Again

Returning To Mega-Audiences

Major developments are in play as the biz prepares for higher pre-pandemic festival turnouts.

Queensland-based Comiskey Group is pitching its 150-hectare site Coochin Fields on the Sunshine Coast to national promoters to relocate to become “large scale camping festivals reminiscent” of Splendour in the Grass and Bluesfest Byron Bay. The group runs music venues Eatons Hill Hotel and Sandstone Point Hotel.

“We are ready to take things to the next level, exceed expectations and bring another great entertainment facility to this incredible community,” director Rob Comiskey said. In New South Wales, Cedar Mill Group began work on a A$235 million ($162.4 million) redevelopment of its Lake Macquarie tourism precinct.

It includes a 30,000-capacity amphitheater for concerts and events, cafes and restaurants, hotels and Australia’s largest aquatic play park. Its other development, in
Hunter Valley, which has a 22,000-capacity amphitheater, opens 2023 at a cost of A$107 million ($73.9 million). Cedar Mill recently acquired security firm Secure Events and Assets, and set up an audio-visual division for clients.

Secret Sounds/ Live Nation’s Falls Festival returns end of the year after a two-year hiatus, with a greater audience close to 90,000. While its NSW stop at North Byron Parklands remains at 35,000, its new Victorian venue at Pennyroyal Plains holds 25,000, and New Western Australia site, Fremantle Park, 30,000. Melbourne Cricket Ground will have its capacity lifted to 105,000 as part of a A$1 billion ($691 milion) redevelopment with new lighting, 5-star hotel, restaurants, bars and massive glass paneling.

Its biggest concerts were Eminem playing to 80, 708 February 24, 2019, and the charity concert Sound Relief drawing 80,518 March 14, 2009.

Posthumous Award For Gudinski

Michael Gudinski received another posthumous accolade, this time the prestigious Melbourne Achiever award to mark his legacy.

The award committee called the Mushroom and Frontier Touring founder an “outstanding individual” and the “most powerful and influential figure in the Australian music industry.”

Since his death on March 2, 2021 at age 68, he was lauded by the state of Victoria’s government with a state memorial at the 15,000-seat Rod Laver Arena and the unveiling in March 2022 of a life-size statue outside the Melbourne venue.

Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of what became Mushroom Group. The planned gala celebrations are expected to generate even more posthumous acclaim.