General News
26 September, 2026
Stage set for Patchewollock Music Festival
Experience the true blue Aussie bush culture at the 12th annual Patchewollock Music Festival weekend from Friday, October 16, to Sunday, October 18.
Experience the true blue Aussie bush culture at the 12th annual Patchewollock Music Festival weekend from Friday, October 16, to Sunday, October 18.
The event showcases music, theatre, bush poetry, workshops, and sheep races, all centred around the heart of Patchewollock.
“All the entertainment is around the pub,” said Patchewollock Music Festival committee member Michael Robertson.
“The stage is set out the back of the pub; the pub is the hub of the event.
“There's all sorts of entertainment on a huge stage; there's a shaded marquee on beautiful grass lawns.
“It's a unique, family-friendly, fun music event.”
The stage will host a range of talented artists playing a spectrum of music, such as Sons of Atticus, Smoke Stack Rhino, Rory Phillips Trio, and more.
The event features entertainment for all ages, with fun children’s activities on Saturday, October 17, including the Krazy Koala Puppet Show, EnviroEdu Wildlife Show, face painting, and the Yarriambiack Shire Engagement Van.
The star feature of the event includes the iconic sheep race, offering a unique attraction for crowds.
“The famous Patchewollock Gold Cup, which is a sheep race, is only 100m long but the crowd there will be 10 deep,” Mr Robertson said.
“Every year is bigger and better than the last; the sheep race prize money has increased.
“The sheep are auctioned off Calcutta on the Friday night, and this all goes back into the local community.”
The Mallee Drifters Club is presenting in the main street on Saturday from 10am, followed by a blade sheep shearing demonstration at 10.30am, featuring Kevin Crook.
A variety of market stalls and food vendors are also on site, as well as a camp oven cook-up on Saturday night.
A raffle drawn on Saturday evening offers the first place prize of a Nutrien 60L Engel fridge and cover; second, a Good Deal Tyres $1000 voucher; third, a SGH Petroleum & Doug Jackson $400 fuel voucher; fourth, a BR+C esky valued at $300; and fifth, a Patchewollock music festival merchandise pack valued at $200.
“We get people from all over Australia - Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide - just because of its unique atmosphere and good music,” Mr Robertson said.
“People camp and sleep in swags and in caravans and the locals put a lot of work into presenting the town in a magnificent way.”