“There are those who love Meredith and there are those who have never been.”
If that often-uttered sentence doesn’t speak volumes of the quality of this festival than maybe this next one will.
“Meredith has ruined every other festival for me.”
The event is simply that good. And if the results of our Annual Readers poll are anything to go by you all agree.
Voted by you as the best Australian festival last year, Meredith has been mesmerizing its audiences since 1991.
Their formula for success? A (super) natural amphitheater on a private property that is purposefully maintained for this event (and its younger sister Golden Plains) combined with some of the world’s most incredible musicians and a crowd that sticks to the festival’s “no dickhead policy” all equates to the above praise.
The likes of Custard, Dirty Three, Cat Power, The Avalanches, The Shins, Andrew WK, MGMT, Kurt Vile, Mudhoney and Grimes have all played in the event’s 23 year history.
As the festival has grown and its reputation with it the private property has built permanent infrastructure ensuring that the event meets the demands of its audience. Showers, compost toilets and recycled water are just some of installations Meredith has developed over the years.
This self-funded and non-commercial festival is one of Australia’s greatest cultural gems in the local music scenes crown.
The experience of Meredith Music Festival is unlike any other music festival in the country. Clearly it’s in a league of its own.
Lineup
Only a year after thrilling audiences at sister event Golden Plains Sixxx Nile Rodgers and Chic! will return Down Under to ensure that Australian audiences get another chance of seeing the act rock the Supernatural Amphitheatre.
Sludge metal forefathers the Melvins along with Brian Jonestwon Massacre and Deerhunter also make up this strong contingent of impressive international acts.
Consistent with past Meredith lineups this year features some of our best homegrown talent. The classic Beasts Of Bourbon lineup will return while Spiderbait will bring their rock antics back to Meredith nearly 20 years after they last featured at the event.
Crowds will find themselves gyrating to the likes of Hermitude, The Bamboos and World’s End Press. Just as they will also bear witness to up and coming acts Stonefield, Courtney Barnett, Vance Joy and Oliver Tank.
When Is It
This music paradise will run from the 13th to the 15th of December.
Where Is It?
The Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre is located 90km west of Melbourne, halfway between the cities of Ballarat and Geelong and near the small town of Meredith on the edge of a farm.
How To Get There
For interstate travellers a domestic flight to Melbourne is the first part of your journey.
Read below for a list of approximate prices of flights from major Australian cities:
Adelaide: Flights are valued at $55.50 at the cheapest, although expect to pay anywhere between $100-$150.
Brisbane: Cheapest price comes in at $75.50, however expect to pay anywhere between $100-$250.
Perth: Expect to pay anywhere between $200-$300
Sydney: Flights are valued between $45.00 and $65.00.
Virgin, Jet Star and Qantas all fly from these cities to Melbourne.
If you’re driving from the airport to Meredith expect a three-hour drive from Melbourne airport and two hours from Avalon with heavy traffic congesting the roads. From Melbourne punters should expect a three-hour drive.
Alternatively you can drive to the town of Meredith and catch a shuttle bus. Those who wish to take the bus on Sunday need to book their return journey by 9pm on Saturday night.
The shuttle bus is also timed with public transport. There are several public transport options for ticket holders. The most pain-free one being a direct bus service from Southern Cross Station. Bookings for this service are scheduled to open in October or November.
For those who miss out on this option Vline will have to be your access to the festival. You will need to catch a train to Geelong and then a bus to Meredith. A return ticket is valued at $24.80, while concession cardholders will have to let go $12.40 for their ticket. Head to the Vline website to plan your journey.
Where To Stay
Meredith Music Festival is obviously a camping event so punters will be catching their (very limited) hours of sleep in a tent or a swag.
If sleeping on the ground doesn’t sound appealing you may find that taking a caravan, campervan or a motorhome a better option.
How To Get Tickets
To get a highly coveted wristband potential punters will need to be subscribed to Aunty Meredith’s mailing list and also a fair portion of luck will come in handy. Tickets to the event are made available through a ballot where the majority of wristbands are sold.
Enter the ballot here.
If you miss out on the ballot there are a selection of stores and online sites that sell the remainder of the tickets.
If you still missed out on access to Meredith Aunty’s Last Chance makes a very small amount of tickets available.
Insider Tips & Tricks/Things You Shouldn’t Miss
Gas camp ovens are not allowed in the festival site so save yourself some time and money and don’t bring one. Cigarettes and tobacco are not sold at the festival so smokers will have to bring plenty of their own.
Warm clothing, waterproof clothing and gumboots are all essential. The nights are cold and in the past it has rained at the festival.
Among the many attractions at the festival (that doesn’t include the music) the Pink Flamingo Bar is a popular respite for cocktail lovers, while the Meredith Eye allows ferris wheel views just as The Ecoplex Cinema runs both short and feature length films.
However one of the most popular ‘attractions’ of the event is the Meredith Gift. Participants in the nude race contest for the honour of winning The Golden Jocks trophy.
The Meredith Sky Show, which has an abundance of lasers, will dazzle punters on one of the nights of this three-day event.
The general store Heaven Eleven and the bar Eric’s Terrace are just two of the places where you can eat quality food made from local produce.
While it is recommended you bring enough cash for the weekend The Gift Shoppe and Heaven Eleven both have cash out facilities.
For more details head to Meredith’s Official Website: http://www.mmf.com.au/
