Location, lineup, locals and loyalty. Loch Hart Music Festival has the perfect cocktail of ingredients as an independent music festival.
Regional Victoria is incredibly lucky to be the base for some of the most breathtaking views in Australia and be home to a large portion of Australia’s most beloved cultural events and festivals. Combine the two and you have an undeniable winner.
Here’s looking at you Loch Hart Music Festival.
Loch Hart Music Festival 2025
- When: 10 – 12 January 2025
- Where: Great Ocean Road, Princetown, Kirrae Whurrong Country
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Located on the national heritage listed 243m stretch of the winding Great Ocean Road in Princetown, Kirrae Whurrong, Loch Hart Music Festival has become a fixture to the festival calendar since its November 2018 inception. A mere 500 guests took to the paddock grounds with the festival almost doubling in its second year and seeing a staggering return rate of 85% of punters. 2022 saw the festival reach a major milestone, following two postponements and a cancellation, becoming anchored as Loch Harts biggest festival to date.
The pitfalls have not passed Loch Hart Music Festival though with the impacts of the pandemic bruising operations, and economic influences, including spending trends during a downturn, deterring ticket sales in 2024. However, despite this, the festival has continued from strength to strength under the leadership of Jayden Bath, who continually reinforces the values of the independent community festival.
Loch Hart Music Festival returns in 2025 for what is a showstopping schedule of music, arts, comedy and community all in the one place.
A monstrous music program
Looking back to look forward, Loch Hart Music Festival has excelled in the live music curation department boasting names like Last Dinosaurs, WAAX, Alpine, Didirri, Alice Ivy, Press Club, Children Collide, Milo Eastwood, The Vasco Era and more.
This year the lineup is out of control spread across supporting local up-and-comers, established artists and bona fide big-guns.
Fresh from supporting indie rock ‘n’ rollers from the Vegas stretch, The Killers, over the weekend, Radio Free Alice head down the Great Ocean Road to join the Loch Hart heat. Having released their EP Polyester mere weeks ago, the band are on the up. Speaking of Vegas, Loch Hart boasts beat-bringer Nina Las Vegas, a huge addition to the lineup. Expect a euphoric set of songs to take you higher and higher into the night.
Trinidadian-born Australian singer and rapper, Gold Fang, files into the festival offering. Hailed a reggae rising star, Gold Fang is bound to get the boots kicking. A fan favourite and local legend, Watty Thompson & His Total Fire Band are on duty, making sure to bring the heat to festival grounds.
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The festival lineup further includes an eclectic brigade of bands and beat-makers such as Cong Josie, Don Glori, Don’t Thank Me, Spank Me!, Jambe, Lewis Coleman, Osmosis Jones, Pollyman, Portal Gun, Prizefight, Secret Cover Band, Sex Mask, Smol Fish, The Stamps, Tjaka, and The Vovos.
A second wave of artists has been added to the lineup today including some familiar faces, Loch Hart heroes, and, of course, some new festival family members.
Leading the second strike is Annie-Rose Maloney, an alt-folk favourite who has reached incredible success without churning out a full release supporting Angie McMahon, Angel Olsen and Ruby Gill. Her 2024 singles ‘I Run From Pain’ and ‘Hold Me’ have excelled her to the next level, labelling the songwriter as a country connoisseur. Maloney is joined by the electric brilliance of Ayebatonye, Close Counters who will be supplying a DJ set, the oh so dangerous decks drives Dangerboots, Dez, genre-melder mixer Jordan Oakley, and Melbourne-based Afro-synth duo, Wrong Way Up.
Returning to the festival this year is disk jockey, radio host and stage livewire Milo Eastwood. A standout at Loch Hart’s biggest year, Eastwood has continued to conquer the electronic space as a festival firestarter on the decks.
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Laughing at Loch Hart
Whilst the vibrations from the stage will have your belly dancing, the comedy curation will bring the belly laughs. Five stand-out stand-up comedians join the Loch Hart lineup.
Actor, comic, relief teacher and Fall Guy – Ben Knight is going from punching Ryan Gosling to jumping up on the Loch Hart stage. Knight is as funny as he is brave to ‘hit’ one of the world’s most adored faces. His comedy style is loose, honest, and direct, making him one of the most relatable Australian comics on the scene. Perhaps his set will include some tales from Hollywood.
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Knight is joined by Blake Pavey, a terminally ill comic who uses his condition for comic relief. Having blown up on social media, Pavey proudly puts his cystic fibrosis under the comedy microscope, with specials like ‘Blake-A-Wish’ winning him over audiences.
Charisa Bossinakis chose comedy over competitive sport and by gosh are we glad! The now comedian, podcaster and writer has only had a short career but it’s been a significant one, taking over comedy lounges across the country. She appeared at both Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Sydney Comedy Festival this year to high acclaim.
You might know Jordan Barr from delivering your Weekend breakfast entertainment on triple j or you may know her from her rich resume as a stand-up comedian, actor, musical theatre performer, and writer. Well one thing to know is that she is hilarious! Unapologetic is her style and unexpected is the shtick.
The final brave soldier set to send in the giggles is Rohan Ganju. The self-proclaimed “comedian of no note” gives off the guy next door vibes but his anecdotes will have you cackling. From cricket to family tales, Ganju is a genius when it comes to delivery.
Let’s face it, the Loch Hart Music Festival lineup is too legendary to miss as it swings back into town over three days this 10 – 12 January 2025. Time is running out to get your hand on tickets so lock them in now.
Loch Hart Music Festival tickets can be purchased here.
