Arts ‘party’ at Mungalla
IN a surprise announcement, the Hinchinbrook Shire is set to host a major North Queensland music, arts, education and landcare festival.
In a stunning coup for the district, Mungalla Station was confirmed on Tuesday morning as the venue for the inaugural three-day Rootbound, a combination of the boutique Sprout and Coalescence festivals from the Tablelands and Mission Beach respectively.
To be held from July 30 to August 1, eco-conscious Rootbound features an extensive line-up of DJS, live music and arts performances while taking “real on-ground action” to address environmental issues such as climate change.
Festival co-director Jacob Mcmillan said Rootbound had been almost two years in the making but due to circumstances well beyond their control, festival organisers had not been able to secure approval to host the event at Woodleigh Station on Queensland government land.
Mr Mcmillan said the unwelcome last-minute news that the Tablelands venue was off the table had proven stressful, so he was delighted to announce that the spectacular Mungalla Station, Nywaigi People, Hinchinbrook Shire Council and Hinchinbrook Chamber had stepped in to provide support.
He said the stars had aligned and he was hoping for a crowd of between 1000 and 1200 festival-goers, an eclectic mix of people ranging in age from retirees to families to younger people looking to enjoy a genuine festival experience in the great outdoors.
He said a smorgasbord of music would include a main stage with the art space converting to a secondary stage from the evening, as well as Graffiti Mural from All Hours and the Diffraction Collective and a kids’ circus.
Mr Mcmillan said both Sprout and Coalescence had had a focus on native landcare and revegetation, which Rootbound would continue.
He said Rootbound’s main vision and ethos was to “party with purpose”.
“You can have fun and you can celebrate, you can go out and dance and you can do all those things you do at a festival, but you can learn things at the same time and come away with a positive experience.” >>Tickets cost $180 for adults, $80 for 15 to 17-year olds, are free for 14 and under and can be purchased on the Rootbound website. Alcohol is BYO and food is available on site, including a traditional kup murri offering vegan and nonvegan food.