Kasey Chambers leads the 2026 Groundwater Country Music Festival lineup. Photo: Supplied.
Kasey Chambers will lead the 2026 Groundwater Country Music Festival lineup when the free Broadbeach event returns to the Gold Coast from Friday, October 16 to Sunday, October 18.
The lineup, announced this week, brings together country icons, festival favourites and international artists, with Kaylee Bell, The Wolfe Brothers, Beccy Cole, James Blundell, Kingswood, Tyla Rodrigues, Lane Pittman, Henry Wagons, Andrew Swift, Hayley Jensen and more confirmed for the free October festival.
Now in its 13th year, Groundwater Country Music Festival remains one of Queensland’s major free music festivals, drawing country fans to the Gold Coast for a weekend where boots meet the beach.
Groundwater 2026 lineup
The 2026 lineup brings together Australian country icons, contemporary country-pop artists, international songwriters, bluegrass, honky-tonk, folk, Americana and emerging acts.
Kasey Chambers returns to Groundwater with her full band after more than three decades shaping Australian country music. Chambers has 13 ARIA Awards, 17 Golden Guitars, multiple chart-topping albums and a catalogue of songs that have become part of the national country songbook.
She said Groundwater was one of her favourite music festivals in Australia.
“I’ll be bringing my full band and playing a bunch of my old songs in my set as well as a few new ones and favourite covers. Looking forward to seeing that street fill up with all you music lovers,” Chambers said.
New Zealand country powerhouse Kaylee Bell also returns to the festival, following major international momentum, more than 100 million catalogue streams and stadium performances supporting Ed Sheeran on his Mathematics World Tour.
Bell said Queensland was one of her favourite places to play.
“So excited to be playing Groundwater again! Queensland is our favourite place to play, and we can’t wait to see all our Gold Coast fans again,” Bell said.
Country music by the beach
The festival will also feature The Wolfe Brothers, Lane Pittman, Hayley Jensen, Tyla Rodrigues, Beccy Cole and James Blundell, with international artists including Canadian singer-songwriter Ruth Moody, fellow Canadian Josh Stumpf and honky-tonk musician Jake Penrod.
Groundwater debuts will include singer-songwriter Austin Mackay, country-rock outfit Kingswood, country blues artist Dear Tommie and 2026 Toyota Star Maker winner Jarrad Wrigley.
They will be joined by Henry Wagons, Midnight Chicken and Pete Denahy & The Surreal McCoys, with the program also set to include bluegrass breakfasts, beachside line dancing, sunset sessions and after-dark celebrations.
Festival Director Mark Duckworth said the lineup showed the breadth of country music.
“The line up brings together everything from current pop country and Americana to bluegrass, folk, and traditional honky tonk and even a little Outlaw,” Duckworth said.
Free festival returns to Broadbeach
Groundwater Country Music Festival is free and family-friendly, with the Broadbeach precinct transformed into a country music beach party across the three-day weekend.
Minister for the Environment and Tourism Andrew Powell said the festival was expected to generate more than 63,500 attendances and inject close to $17 million into businesses, venues and operators across Broadbeach, the wider Gold Coast and Queensland.
Gold Coast Acting Mayor Cr Mark Hammel said the event had become one of Australia’s premier country music festivals since launching 13 years ago.
Groundwater Country Music Festival is produced by Experience Gold Coast and supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland.
Groundwater Country Music Festival 2026 details
- What: Groundwater Country Music Festival 2026
- When: Friday, October 16 to Sunday, October 18, 2026
- Where: Broadbeach, Gold Coast
- Cost: Free
- Headliners: Kasey Chambers, Kaylee Bell, The Wolfe Brothers, Beccy Cole, James Blundell, Kingswood and more
What do you think?
Show comments / Leave a comment