Sunshine Coast musicians and businesses have become overnight rockstars after taking home major awards at the Queensland Music Awards (QMAs) on Tuesday.
Co-hosted by the Coast’s own Sarah Howells, of ABC Sunshine Coast, the event saw popular new venue The Station take home the Accessible Venue of the Year award.
It was a bittersweet ending to a hard week for The Station owners Chris and Lauren Hignett, whose Birtinya premises was the victim of a burglary.
“We are so unbelievably stoked to have won the Queensland Music Awards Accessible Venue of the Year for 2025 tonight!” they said on Facebook.
“This means the WORLD to us and we know that we are only going to continue our efforts to make The Station accessible to so many more people in the coming year and beyond.
“Thank you so much to QMusic & the QLD Music Awards, CPL who sponsored the award, the local Sunshine Coast and wider music community. Spinal Life Australia, Cérge, Team Musicare and all those who have supported our mission of accessibility and inclusion, and everyone who has bought a ticket to our little big venue and had a blast!
“We also want to acknowledge the efforts and contributions in the Accessibility space of the other incredible venues nominated in the Accessible Venue category: Kingston Butter Factory Cultural Precinct, Tanks Arts Centre and The Princess Theatre, Brisbane.
“The inclusion of the Accessible Venue category alone is a testament to the power of music to bring people together—no matter their abilities.”
Big Pineapple Festival snaps up Festival of the Year
Another deserving local recipient was the Coast’s biggest annual “celebration”, the Big Pineapple Festival, which won Festival of The Year.
Notable Sunshine Coast finalists were The Dreggs, who were up for Album of the Year, and musical brothers Frank and Louis, who were in line for a Youth (Ages 10-17) award.
Caloundra cult-favourite Norton Music Factory were finalists in the Regional Venue of the Year category, as were popular Gold Coast venue Mo’s Desert Clubhouse.
Gympie Music Muster was also up for a Festival of the Year award, while AYLA was vying for the Electronic award.
Sandstone Point Hotel took out Regional Venue of the Year, previously won by Kings Beach Tavern.
Former ‘Coastie’ Sahara Beck was a finalist in the Pop category, while Pat Tierney was a finalist in the Blues/Roots category.
Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane won Metro Venue of the Year, while Redland Bay favourites Beddy Rays snagged the Rock category.
Jem Cassar-Daley, who was recently here with King Stingray, took out the Indigenous award.
Read the full list of winners here: https://www.qmusic.com.au/qma/2025-winners.
Main photo via QMA.
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