This post is a bit special for me. We are particularly fortunate in the South East Queensland area as there is a very active music / musos camping weekend culture. We tend to choose locales that have a pub and a camping area all within walking distance. Friday night it’s tunes on the verandah of the Pub, Saturday is prep for an afternoon or evening concert / open mic. Groups are formed, songs are sung, fun is had. Workshops also feature.
Below is a video that’s a collage of the weekend activities at the town of Blackbutt in Queensland over the Easter long weekend. There were well over a hundred attendees, we all camped at the Blackbutt showgrounds. There were workshops on rhythm, harmonica and yoga.
I felt quite privileged in that the song I performed at the open mic, Maybe It’s Time from the 2018 movie A Star is Born, is featured as the background music for the whole video. You’ll see me in a short part in the middle on stage singing away.
Must have been a truly fantastic event. Great playing and singing. Sheer pleasure to watch you all enjoying yourselves.
All the best to you all,
Regards
Tomasz
Indeed. This gathering was larger than most, there were 4 large groups jamming every night, so you could pick and choose which suited you best. I also enjoy the smaller jams you get at someone’s campsite on a random basis. Got up early, heard a guy noodling away and joined him for several hours. Bliss
That’s exactly what Hilary and I call these gatherings and festivals, our “happy” place. You’ll be pleased to know the August Coast Acoustics gathering won’t be as remote as Spring Gully, he’s not able to accommodate our group until he goes through getting new local council approval, so we’ll be having it at the Tyalgum Showgrounds, much closer to you and we’ll have day passes so those who aren’t able to camp are able to join in the festivities, which will also suit those who want to stay at a nearby BnB.
Thanks for sharing that. Great video too. Reminded me of a banjo camp I attended in Nashville, Tennessee in early April; full of great learning, fun, playing along with other people, great food, and a wonderful time full of fond memories.
Indeed. Back in 2020 we traveled all around Australia in our caravan doing what’s called the “big lap”. Spoke to musicians all around the country and what we have in SE Qld seems to be “not the norm”. There is some camping elsewhere obviously but not to the extent we have. There are these kind of gatherings at least once a month and often twice.
The video for the Easter Camping Weekend isn’t Coast Acoustics but fairly similar.
Here’s a Coast Acoustics camping weekend jam video
If you are on fb, there’s a private group I can invite you to join called Folk and Friends Camping Music Gatherings where events like the easter one are announced. We are very lucky in SE Qld as there are very regular gatherings. Maidenwell, Mulgowie, Bribie, Woodford show grounds. There’s also another private group on fb for a gathering at Boonah.
Glad to hear you are enjoying the Sunshine Coast group. Leon and Kim are on the Coast Acoustics committee with me and we are having a camping weekend at Diddilibah this coming weekend. Squee!!!
Thanks for that Tony, yes Leon and Kim do a great job.
The Diddillibah weekend looks good, but we are heading OS for a month on Saturday so can’t do it. Maybe next time.
And certainly interested in some of the other weekends.
August 29 Coast Acoustics is having it’s winter camping weekend at the showgrounds in Tyalgum, just over the border in Northern NSW. Friday night will be tunes on the verandah at the old pub, Saturday jamming and concert in the arvo.
, I can’t remember that right now… Ooooo man that must be a lot of fun 
