The weekend was truly alive with celebration as over 75 artists took to the festival stages,
as crowds were treated to King Stingray lighting up Friday night and a surprise appearance from Baker Boy setting the tone for an unforgettable event. Thelma Plum, The Cat Empire, The Waifs, Cosmic Psychos and an incredible lineup of local talent kept the foreshore buzzing all weekend long, while the new floating stage upon the Peninsula Princess Ferry became an instant festival favourite.
King Stingray lit up the main stage on Friday night with their high energy Yolnu surf groove, made even more special when Baker Boy jumped on for a surprise appearance that sent the audience into a frenzy. Earlier, Tex Perkins and Matt Walker belted out their iconic Australian rock classics, warming up the afternoon crowd in style, before Ella Hooper delivered a joyous tribute to Linda Ronstadt in a set filled with admiration, storytelling and soaring singalongs of some of the greatest songs ever written.
Saturday delivered one of the most anticipated lineups in Queenscliff Music Festival’s memory. Thelma Plum warmed hearts and souls in a set overflowing with laughter and connection as the audience lapped up every note. Didirri and Rowena Wise held the crowd in quiet awe through the afternoon, offering a beautiful moment of stillness before The Waifs had thousands singing back every word. The Cat Empire followed with an explosive blend of jazz, Latin and funk, driving the foreshore into raptures long into the night. On the other side of the park, Cosmic Psychos closed out Saturday with a thunderous set that sent fans home grinning all the way home.
Festival goers were also quick to jump aboard the new Queenscliff Music Festival floating stage on the Peninsula Princess ferry, with seven gigs across the weekend proving an instant favourite. These intimate shows offered a completely unique way to experience live music, pairing the beauty of the bay with up close performances by a handpicked selection of artists including Skyscrapper Stan & The Commission Flats, Romaine, Ally Row, Minor Gold, Grace Robinson and more.
Across the whole weekend, audiences embraced the incredible array of local talent, from emerging artists making their QMF debut to regional favourites returning to the festival stage. The depth and diversity of home-grown music remained one of the event’s defining strengths, drawing full venues across the town of Queenscliff with passionate crowds from morning until long into the evening. Performances from Bones and Jones, Madeliene Cope, Fenn Wilson, Get Behind the Mule, Imaginary Millions, Kit Genesis, Kook Joey, Lewis Love, Matt Davis and dozens more helped cement QMF as one of the most important platforms for Victorian and Australian music discovery.
The closing Sunday saw the energy rise from the afternoon into the evening with standout sets from Mama Kin Spender, whose stirring vocals and rhythmic communal energy sparked one of the biggest singalongs of the weekend, especially when joined by the 37 piece Acabella choir.
The Preatures delivered a powerful and polished performance, reminding audiences exactly why they remain one of the country’s most dynamic live acts as Isabella Manfredi commanded the stage with charisma and fire. The Pierce Brothers followed with an unforgettable set that had audiences hanging on every note, before Donavon Frankenreiter brought his unmistakable laid back Californian soul to the foreshore to close the main stage, gliding through warm grooves and effortless vocals that held the entire crowd.
Queenscliff Music Festival Director, Claire Stickland, Said,
“What an incredible weekend for Queenscliff Music Festival. With packed stages and an electric atmosphere along the foreshore, this year was a true celebration of music and joy.
“We are so proud of what unfolded, and none of it would have been possible without the amazing artists and people behind the scenes. More than 550 volunteers pour their time, passion and care into making this festival what it is, and it wouldn’t be possible without them. Queenscliff Music Festival remains a genuine community celebration of music and the arts, set in one of Australia’s most beautiful destinations.”
Queenscliff Music Festival will return in 2026. from 27 – 29 November, on Wadawurrung Country, in the historic Victorian seaside town of Queenscliff.
For more information – WWW.QMF.NET.AU
