Southbound To Return In 2016; New Dates Announced

After Southbound's last minute cancellation this past January due to the devastating WA bushfires, organisers have today announced that the festival will return this year with brand new dates also confirmed. 

After discussions between local council and stakeholders, the decision has been made to move the festival dates to 27-29 December for this year and beyond.

City of Busselton Mayor Grant Henley said moving the event to the three days between Christmas and New Years makes "good sense".

"It will make it easier for the City to plan other events as well as ground maintenance and sporting fixtures on Bovell Oval," he continued.

"We understand that it also works better for local police in terms of resourcing during the busy summer season. Having the same dates every year will mean that all parties, including nearby residents, will always know when the Festival is going to be held without having to wait for the official announcement. This enables them to make their own holiday plans well in advance."

Meanwhile, festival director Dave Chitty said the tragedy of the bushfires made organisers determined to deliver Southbound to fans in 2016.

"The change in dates and the impact on how we look at the event as a result of the fire has made us even more determined to deliver an even better Southbound for 2016 and beyond," Chitty said.

"Our resolve to strengthen the event and look at things differently will result in many changes which we look forward to sharing with Southbound fans as the announcements unfold in the coming months."

Yarloop and the surrounding areas are still recovering from the damage of the fires, while a Southbound benefit concert, held just days after the festival's cancellation, raised over $150,000.

Ticketholders from this year's cancelled event will have access to an exclusive presale before tickets go on sale to the general public. 

For more details, check out the festival website.