As this fortnight’s round-up shows, the Australian live sector continues to move ahead. More new venues are on their way, Canberra’s entertainment precinct gets new funding, ticketing trends are revealed, and wide fresh signings reflect a dynamic industry.
These range from funding locked in for Canberra’s entertainment precinct, big steps for massive stadium developments, a new era for Melbourne’s Leaps & Bounds, while a new report on ticketing shows a growing trend among Australian party-goers.
Canberra Entertainment Precinct Gets Funding
The ACT Government has finalised funding with the Federal Government towards its $750 million Convention and Entertainment Centre Precinct in the CBD.
The project will be a game changer for local music fans and promoters. It includes a 8,000-seat indoor entertainment venue which will include the city to bid for national touring acts and events currently bypassing the capital city.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr pointed out, “Canberra needs a larger, modern convention and entertainment facility that can both meet future demand for business events and open more opportunities to host live music and entertainment in a large indoor venue.
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“The existing Convention Centre is very busy and cannot meet future demand. A larger Convention Centre and Entertainment Centre will enable more, and bigger, events to be held in Canberra.”
A business case examining a public-private partnership, investments and design is set to be finalised by mid-2028.
New 1,850-Capacity Venue For Wollongong?
Wollongong could get a 1850-capacity music venue, late night cocktail bar and rooftop cinema on top of the Regent Theatre on Keira St, according to an application by Martin Morris & Jones Pty Ltd on display until April 1st on the City of Wollongong website.
Local reports suggest Wollongong promoters Yours & Owls are involved in the venture.
Reggie’s Bar will also offer light meals, ticketing and merchandise, and could also showcase its own live entertainment.
Melbourne Gets New Jazz & Cabaret Beacon
The Melbourne Recital Centre has begun constructing a 100-seat $2 million jazz and cabaret room. Built in a former storage space in the roof and set to open in spring, it will have sweeping views of the skyline.
It will be called The Peter and Ruth McMullin Beacon, after the philanthropists who donated $1 million to the venue. The rest of the money came from the State Government.
Brisbane’s Eclipse StrIkes Eventfinda Deal
Brisbane entertainment venue Enigma struck a ticketing deal with Eventfinda, the event discovery and ticketing platform within Ticketek Entertainment Group (TEG).
“Our collaboration with Eventfinda strengthens our commitment to delivering premium event experiences from start to finish,” said Trent Redman, Eclipse’s owner. “From live music to large-scale club nights, this partnership ensures our promoters and artists can feel confident that the ticketing process is smooth, reliable, and aligned with the energy of our events."
The deal offers promoters Eventfinda’s event management tools, real-time reporting, streamlined checkout experience, and “access and own their data, helping them target efforts more effectively and boost ticket sales.”
Report Shows Extent Of Station’s Debts
The Station SC, which ran Sunshine Coast’s The Station had a six-figure debt leaving dozens of employees and suppliers out of pocket.
The venue closed down in January due to declining trade, according to owners Chris and Lauren Hignett. A report to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, as revealed by the Courier Mail found that largest debts were to Dominica Sound (estimated $129,780), Arts Queensland ($82,500) and Flexihire ($69,243).
Employee creditors are owed varying amounts of superannuation, with one owed up to $23,000. Chris Hignett was listed as a related party creditor with a director loan of $532,561.
New Live Music Space For Cronulla
Cronulla in Sydney gets a music venue, Meadow, in May (Shop 7, 2–6 Cronulla St) which also works as a cocktail bar and French bistro. It’s the third venue by Adam and Kylie Micola, who also run Bobbys and Bangor Tavern. The opening of Meadow sees them launch Anyway Hospitality.
Musical Chairs
Sunshine Coast identity Alex Henriksson joins QMusic, one of six organisations contracted to deliver Queensland's Regional Arts Services Network. Henriksson is the state’s first Regional Arts Advisor – Music. QMusic will offer free, artform-specific advice and referral services to artists and arts workers in the Music sector.
After four ambitious years of building up its creativity, inclusivity and wider tourism appeal, Artistic Director Kate Well announced that Darwin Festival 2026 in August is her last. There’ll be a national search for a replacement.
After 25 years of "adventure and ground-breaking musical activity," Eugene Ughetti steps down as Artistic Director of Speak Percussion.
Footscray Community Arts in Melbourne’s inner west welcomed as its new Chair Lung Ong, a strategist across the creative, tourism and major events industries; and Deputy Chair Bianca Benjamin, a strategic planner spanning Australia, the US, Germany, Nepal and the UAE.
Principal Names For QLD Stadium Upgrades
The Queensland Government announced the names of principals for two stadium upgrades.
For the Sunshine Coast Stadium, Architectus is the main architect behind the expansion of grandstand seating from 1,046 10,000, eastern and western grandstands, new community and event spaces, and improved player amenities and accessibility.
The bids to build the Gabba entertainment arena precinct in Brisbane is whittled down from eight global bids to two.
The Gather Brisbane Consortium includes Live Nation, OVG, and Plenary Group. The Brisbane Entertainment Alliance Consortium has AEG, Legends Global, Capella Capital, and Lendlease.
Ticketek Signs 10-Year Deal With Dunedin Venues
Aussie ticketing agency Ticketek signed a ten year deal with New Zealand’s Dunedin Venues Management Ltd (DVML) to be its exclusive ticketing partner for Forsyth Barr Stadium and the Dunedin Centre, including the Dunedin Town Hall and Glenroy Auditorium.
Cameron Hoy, COO and Head of Global Ticketing at parent company TEG, said, “Forsyth Barr Stadium and the Dunedin Centre are among New Zealand’s most dynamic venues, and by combining DVML’s ambition with TEG’s technology, data and innovation capability, we’re setting these venues up for the next decade.”
New Eras For Narrabeen RSL, Enigma, Throb Sites
Venues in Sydney, Adelaide, and Darwin which hosted rippling music fans have different futures.
The one time Narrabeen RSL Club in Sydney where Midnight Oil, INXS, and Icehouse cut their teeth, will have 17 houses built on it. It went into voluntary administration in 2022, sold two years later, and bulldozed in 2025. It now has plans on display for public feedback.
The building on Hindley & Morphett in Adelaide, once home of Enigma Bar, was bought for $10.05 million by developer Auta Group who will turn it into a mixed-use apartment tower.
Darwin’s Manolis building, at Smith & Edmunds, former home of Throb nightclub, has been demolished and deemed unsafe by authorities. The renowned Darwin’s LGBTQI+ space closed some years ago after the club ran into financial problems and its owners relocated to Sydney.
EOI For Leaps And Bounds
Melbourne’s City of Yarra is inviting venues, bookers, and producers to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to participate in this year's Leaps And Bounds festival (July 16-26).
Started in 2013 to support venues and artists in Fitzroy, Collingwood, and Richmond during quieter winter months, it’s now become so big it’s time for a rethink. Some music-themed events such as record fairs, launches, and exhibitions will get marketing support.
Funding goes to venues to test new approaches to live music programming and presentations that build new audiences, bring back old ones, create inclusive events, support young emerging musicians, and experiment with new genres. Apply by 11.59pm on Sunday April 5 at this website.
Four ‘Ticketing Trends’ From Megatix Report
As the 2025/6 summer ended, Australian-born Asia Pacific ticketing and event operations platform Megatix announced its most significant period of growth so far. Between Christmas and New Year’s Day alone, it scanned 344,060 tickets – a 21% rise in volume compared to the same period in 2024.
The period was marked by four key ticketing trends:
The Rise of the Last-Minute Luxury Traveller: revenue from VIP tables and premium experiences skyrocketed by 87% year-on-year, nearly doubling since 2024. This trend was coupled with a significant last-minute booking, with 38% of all tickets during the peak New Year’s period purchased within the final 72 hours.
Said the report, “This data signals the emergence of a new ‘last-minute luxury’ demographic: affluent travellers who value spontaneity and are willing to pay a premium for high-end access at a moment's notice.”
Forget Borders: Australia, Indonesia (Bali), and Thailand lead summer activity for the platform. One dedicated customer used Megatix to buy tickets for nine New Year’s events across five days in Australia and Indonesia.
Global Demand in Local Hotspots: over summer, Bali and Phuket proved themselves as tourist hotspots. Tickets buyers from 52 countries accounted for 64% of total ticket sales.
The ‘Destination Party’ Dominates: beach clubs and destination parties outperformed traditional nightlife formats. As a result, Megatix has become the primary partner for many of the world's most iconic beachfront venues.
Megatix CEO Roshan Odhavji said, “The 'destination party' isn't just a trend – it's the new standard for events-driven global travel. As we move into 2026, the focus remains on further expansion across the APAC region, continuing to replace outdated legacy systems with a fairer, more transparent, and highly scalable technological framework.”
Regionals Lose Millions After Festivals Go
How are regional communities affected economically when festivals in their midst collapse? The 90% sold out Birdsville Big Red Bash which suffered from water-logging on its site made $20 million for communities.
Bluesfest annually generated $230 million for NSW, $130 million for Northern Rivers and $65 million for Byron Bay.
North Byron Parklands, which hosted Splendour In The Grass and the Falls Festival, estimated the two events pumped about $100 million into the Australian economy, with more than $25 million being spent in the Byron Shire.
Groovin’ The Moo created money for its half a dozen regional stops. In example, in 2023, Bunbury, WA drew nearly 21,000 – 74.5% which came from outside the city.
Perth Venues Are Vanishing…
New data from WA’s peak music association WAM show, as per The West Australian, the number of venues booking original live music acts has shrunk from 38 in 2015 to 13. This was due to the advent of NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard), and the economics of more alcohol being consumed in beer gardens than at gigs.
A push is for government incentives for businesses that host live music, as has happened in NSW. WAM CEO Owen Whittle told the newspaper he applauded moves by the State Government to protect music in Northbridge and at Freo.Social but urged MPs to revive a 2024 infrastructure fund which provided $45 million on the creative industries.
“Due to it being administered by Lotterywest, only local government and non-profit organisations are eligible for the funding. That leaves only two live music venues in the State which can apply. Contemporary music is by far the largest form of the arts in the State, but we lack any form of ongoing investment into our venues.”
…As Newcastle UK’s EDM Spaces Have Problems
A new report by the UK’s Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) estimated that the EDM sector generated £2.47 billion (AU$4.76 billion) in 2025. It also applauded how Newcastle’s was booming, even outpacing London with a 72% year-on-year growth.
But an investigation by the BBC found that operators on the ground grumbled they were struggling without funding, and from cost of living issues.
The 220-capacity female-led Cobalt for instance, sells out nights. But costs to keep it safe are high, and its two owners don't pay themselves even if they put in 80 hours a week.
The two operators of Lubber Fiend said of the report: “It makes us sound like we've got this thriving money scene. But everyone's broke, the parties are really difficult to put on, the costs of putting on parties are rising."
Changing Of The Guard
The Rose Hotel in Sydney’s inner west Chippendale, renowned for its bands and DJ residencies, is about to go through a name change. This comes as the Kanellos family steps down for Colm and Peta O’Neills who’ve run venues in the inner west, North Sydney and The Rocks. The entertainment element will be refreshed to set the Cleveland Street venue aside from neighbouring competitors.
The Star Of The West in Port Fairy, Victoria – whose booking of bands increases particularly during the Port Fairy Folk Festival which gets 10,000 a day – is on the market for $3 million.
Yacht Club in Port Hedland, WA, is due for a name change after Fremantle-based Running With Thieves took over ownership.
Rockhampton, QLD’s Goat Bar, renowned for its touring acts and DJs, is on the market six years after owners bought it for $3.175 million.
Sydney barrister Brian Dooley is, after 40 years putting The Courthouse in inner west Newtown up for an expected $20 million. Long time manager Solotel kept up a steady live music program.
Tamworth, NSW venues The Longyard Hotel, Southgate Inn, Family Hotel, and The Pub (as well as the Britten’s Brewery building) are now part of Canberra investor Andrew Turnbull’s Sydney-based IMG Hotel Group, which bought them from Tamworth Pub Group for $160 million.
Kill Pill: 12th Victorian Festival For Testing
Shadows Of Wonderland (May 1) is the final of the 12 Victorian festivals to be allowed to pill-test by the State Government as an 18-month trial. Punters get free and confidential health advice.
The results of the dozen tribal gatherings will inform government policy.
To date, the mobile pill testing service has tested over 2,400 samples, engaged in more than 1,300 harm reduction conversations and issued five notifications warning patrons of toxic drugs on site.
Pitch Music & Arts in March saw a record usage, with over 670 samples from 570 attendees, and staff had 350 health-focused conversations about the risks of drug use.
And These Just From Overseas…
Netflix reveals K-Pop cuties BTS’ March 21 free outdoor comeback show at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul attracted 18.4 million global viewers. It took the top spot in 24 countries.
But how many were actually at the venue has kicked up different numbers. The police expected 260,000 but later put it at 80,000 because they didn't factor in fans in areas near the square installed with big screens.
The band’s management put it at 104,000, Seoul City at 48,000, and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety at 62,000. These were based on mobile phone connections but varied on which only counted Korean callers and which included overseas visitors on roaming or overseas SIMs.
Still in that part of the world, South Korean authorities whacked a total ₩69 billion (AU$67 million) in penalties on entertainment agencies over the last five years for their role in helping artists evade tax.
The Oasis comeback tour has generated a fly-on-the-wall documentary including the pre-tour discussions and rehearsals. Directors Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace, who did the LCD Soundsystem's acclaimed concert movie Shut Up And Play The Hits, say the footage is “phenomenal”. No release date yet: it’s running four hours at the moment and needs to be cut.
Now this really deserves a super-ouch. A Chicago jury had to consider the long running court case between Chance The Rapper and former manager Pat Corcoran.
The latter wanted $3.8 million arguing he was entitled to 15% of net profits across all income streams and including a three-year post-termination sunset clause.
His case was rejected. But Chancey wasn’t smiling afterwards. He wanted $1 million… and the jury awarded him, er, $35.
The municipality of Tilburg in Amsterdam is spending €900,000 (AU$1.50 million) on working out whether to build a 1,000-capacity venue just for hip hop acts.
RAC Arena Gets Green Gong…
Perth’s RAC Arena is the first WA venue to be certified a “Green Venue” under Green Music Australia’s sustainability program. Led by the in-house committee, The Eco Champs, in partnership with waste management company WRITE Solutions, the venue this year diverted more than 98% waste from landfill (in volume), well exceeding the 70% goal.
RAC Arena introduced compostable packaging, green bins to capture organic waste, reusable cups at its bars, and the Containers for Change initiative which in five years donated $100,000 to its charity partners including Salvation Army WA.
…And Marvel Stadium Enhances Renewable Future
Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium entered into a new five-year energy partnership with EnergyAustralia to continue its move into renewable electricity and reduced operational emissions.
Its electricity supply will be matched to 100% renewable sources, reflecting the Australian Football League (AFL)’s commitment to lowering its environmental impact. The deal also makes EnergyAustralia the energy partner of the stadium as well as with the AFL and AFLW.
Six Meltdowns!
Adelaide’s Ed Castle, a supporter of LGBTQ+ safety, is investigating an incident where a transgender patron claimed to have been expelled from the venue after being dragged out of a male toilet by security. Management said they’d met with the patron and had an “open and respectful conversation”.
A man has been charged over the alleged multiple stabbing of Newcastle musician Greg Bryce as he left the Merewether Bowling Club after a Sunday afternoon gig there. The incident is reportedly linked to an ex of Bryce’s partner.
NT Police rushed to a Mayberry nightclub on Edmunds Street in Darwin CBD after an emergency call that an allegedly armed man had knocked a female nightclub worker unconscious with a pint glass and kicked her after she fell to the ground. Police maintained his companion assaulted a security guard before they left. The two were arrested a short time later.
US country singer Riley Green’s set at Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne was halted briefly after an audience member threw a phone at him, hitting him near his ear.
While his road crew wiped off the blood, the “fan” was thrown out of the venue. Green quipped to the crowd as the show commenced, “Y’all see how tough I am?”
DJ Haram’s apparent comments about “long live the resistance”, “martyrs”, and “Zio-Australian-Epstein empire” during her set at the Biennale of Sydney launch at White Bay Power Station led to calls for her immediate deportation back to the US and for funding to be yanked from the festival, while a corporate sponsor pulled out.
The owner of the Post Office Hotel in south-east Queensland appeared at Maryborough Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to contravening a safety enforcement notice. A complaint was made to the Fraser Coast Regional Council after a cast iron awning post had fallen from the hotel’s veranda onto the footpath and road below.
Work was completed, but apparently not in time designated (the hotel argued time given was unreasonable), and the owner did not inform council for seven months. The hotel was fined $5,000, and had to pay $19,996 in compensation as well as the council’s legal costs.
This piece of content has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body
