Events Guide · Broadbeach Gold Coast 2026
Groundwater Country Music Festival 2026 – Broadbeach Guide
Three days of free country music take over Broadbeach from 16 to 18 October 2026. The 2026 lineup, how it works, parking and where to stay.
Groundwater Country Music Festival is one of Australia’s best free music events – and it happens right here in Broadbeach. Held annually in October (16 to 18 October in 2026), the festival transforms the streets, parks and venues of Broadbeach into one big country music precinct for three days. Previous editions have brought together close to 60 artists and 135 shows, and the whole event is produced by Experience Gold Coast.
Every single show is completely free – Groundwater is a non-ticketed event held in the open Broadbeach precinct, so you can come and go as you please. Headline acts fill The Kurrawa Park Big Top, with more intimate gigs tucked into partner venues throughout the suburb. There are no tickets to buy for any of it; if you want a front-row spot for a headline act, it is first in, best dressed.
Broadbeach during Groundwater is one of those experiences that surprises even people who aren’t especially into country music. The atmosphere is exceptional – the streets are full, the restaurants are buzzing, the bars extend their happy hours, and there’s music coming from every direction. If your dates overlap with Groundwater, plan around it rather than ignoring it.
Key Facts
- 2026 dates: 16-18 October (Friday to Sunday) – the weekend before the Gold Coast 500 Supercars (23-25 October)
- Completely FREE and non-ticketed – every show, no wristbands, come and go as you please
- 2026 headliners: Kasey Chambers, Kaylee Bell, The Wolfe Brothers, Beccy Cole, James Blundell and Kingswood
- Location: streets, parks and venues across Broadbeach – headline acts at The Kurrawa Park Big Top
- Stay anywhere from Queensland Avenue to Elizabeth Avenue and you can walk to everything
- Book accommodation months in advance – the Gold Coast 500 follows the next weekend
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Dates | Friday 16 to Sunday 18 October 2026 |
| Cost | Free – every show, non-ticketed, nothing to book |
| Main stage | The Kurrawa Park Big Top (headline acts) |
| Other shows | Partner venues and outdoor spots throughout the Broadbeach precinct |
| Program | Released closer to the festival, on the Experience Gold Coast app |
| Alcohol | No BYO (unlicensed event) – buy and drink within licensed venues and areas only |
| Getting there | G:link tram to Broadbeach North – TransLink fares are a flat 50 cents |
How Groundwater Works
Groundwater is a non-ticketed festival held in the open Broadbeach precinct – no gates, no wristbands, nothing to book. Headline acts play The Kurrawa Park Big Top, and smaller shows run in partner venues and public spaces through the suburb. Front-row spots for the big names are first in, best dressed, so arrive early for anyone you specifically want to see.
You can set up your own chair in the dedicated areas at the outdoor stages – the festival does not sell or hire chairs, and camp chairs are limited to designated areas at certain times of day. Groundwater itself is an unlicensed event, so you cannot BYO alcohol; drinks are only available, and must stay, within the licensed venues and areas around the precinct. Temporary toilets are set up across the festival site, with extra bathrooms at The Oasis Shopping Centre.
The standard Groundwater approach for a day: wander between stages during the afternoon, find a restaurant for dinner (book ahead – it’s the busiest week of the year in Broadbeach), then settle in at the Big Top for the evening headline act.
Who’s Playing in 2026
The 2026 lineup is headlined by Kasey Chambers – one of Australia’s most acclaimed country artists, back at Groundwater for a third time – alongside Kaylee Bell, the New Zealand-born country-pop star with over 100 million streams who broke through supporting Ed Sheeran’s world tour, and The Wolfe Brothers, Australia’s most awarded country rock duo with 15 Golden Guitars, whose 2025 album Australian Made took out five of them including Album of the Year.
They’re joined by 11-time Golden Guitar winner Beccy Cole, Australian country icon James Blundell (more than 34 years and 15 studio albums), and country-rock band Kingswood.
The full lineup announced so far: Andrew Swift, Austin Mackay, Brewn, Dear Tommie, Denvah, Hayley Jensen, Henry Wagons, Jake Penrod, Josh Stumpf, Josie, Lane Pittman, Michael Honan, Midnight Chicken, Pete Denahy and The Surreal McCoys, RB Brothers, Ruth Moody, Sterling Drake, Sweet Talk, Tyla Rodrigues and 2026 Toyota Starmaker winner Jarrad Wrigley – plus special sessions including Beachside Line Dancing with Chris Watson, the Country Calling Showcase, DJ Colonel’s Country Music Cottage and Taurean Thompson’s Outlaw Country Sessions.
Back for 2026 is the Bluegrass Breakfast at venue partner The Loose Moose – live tunes from Huxley and Friel over a relaxed breakfast to ease into the festival day. Entry is free as part of the festival, but in-venue seating is limited and first come, first served; it was one of the most popular events of 2025, so arrive early.
The day-by-day program is released closer to the festival on the official site (groundwatercmf.com) and the Experience Gold Coast app – worth checking before you lock in dinner bookings.
Groundwater Tips for First-Timers
The day-by-day schedule is released in the lead-up to the festival, with everything housed on the Experience Gold Coast app (it replaced the old standalone festival app). With multiple stages running at once, map out your must-see acts the day before rather than winging it on the day.
Oracle Boulevard restaurants and bars typically extend their happy hours during Groundwater weekend, with specials running from midday at many venues rather than the usual late-afternoon window. Check venue boards on the day. This makes Groundwater one of the best-value social weekends in Broadbeach all year.
Groundwater weekend is the busiest restaurant period of the year in Broadbeach. If you want to eat at a specific venue, book 3-4 weeks ahead minimum. The best Oracle Boulevard restaurants – Mamasan, Nineteen, Moo Moo, Kost – fill up within days of Groundwater dates being announced.
Groundwater (16-18 October) runs the weekend before the Gold Coast 500 Supercars (23-25 October) – back-to-back event weekends create the highest accommodation demand of the entire Gold Coast year. Good Broadbeach properties sell out by August for October. If you’re planning to attend, book accommodation the moment you confirm your dates. The festival’s own recommended stay zone is anywhere from Queensland Avenue to Elizabeth Avenue – within walking distance of every stage.
The festival footprint covers the streets, parks and venues of central Broadbeach, with the Big Top at Kurrawa Park on the beach end. A full Groundwater day means hours on your feet between stages, venues, restaurants and bars. Comfortable footwear is non-negotiable. Cowboy boots look great but confirm they’re actually comfortable for a 10-hour day.
Getting There, Parking and Road Closures
The easiest way in is the G:link tram. Broadbeach North station (in front of the Convention Centre on the Gold Coast Highway) is the closest stop to the festival centre – a short walk to Broadbeach Mall, Surf Parade, The Oasis and Kurrawa Park – while Broadbeach South sits in front of Pacific Fair. All TransLink fares, tram included, are a flat 50 cents, so public transport is by far the cheapest and least stressful option. See our G:link tram guide for stops and tips.
If you do drive, the main car parks are the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (enter via the Gold Coast Highway), The Oasis Shopping Centre (via Charles Avenue), Oracle Boulevard (via Elizabeth Avenue) and the Phoenician (via Main Place Laneway), plus street parking around Charles Avenue, Elizabeth Avenue and Old Burleigh Road. Accessible parking is available on the streets surrounding Broadbeach, including Old Burleigh Road, Queensland Avenue, Charles Avenue and the Gold Coast Service Road. More detail in our Broadbeach parking guide.
Road closures will be in place around Broadbeach during the festival for patron safety – the exact streets are announced closer to the event, so check the official site before driving in. Honestly, though: the festival’s own advice is to stay local and skip the car. Book accommodation between Queensland Avenue and Elizabeth Avenue and you can walk to every stage.
Frequently Asked Questions
The 2026 Groundwater Country Music Festival runs Friday 16 to Sunday 18 October 2026. The Gold Coast 500 Supercars follows the next weekend (23-25 October), so the second half of October is the busiest stretch of the year in Broadbeach.
Yes – completely. Groundwater is a non-ticketed event and every single show is free, including the headline acts at The Kurrawa Park Big Top. There are no wristbands and no registration; you can come and go as you please. The only catch is that front-row spots for the big names are first in, best dressed.
Groundwater is held throughout the streets, parks and venues of Broadbeach on the Gold Coast. Headline acts play The Kurrawa Park Big Top, with more intimate gigs in partner venues across the precinct. If you want to stay within walking distance, the festival recommends booking anywhere from Queensland Avenue to Elizabeth Avenue.
Not for the music – there are no tickets for any Groundwater show. What you should book early is everything around it: restaurant reservations weeks in advance (Broadbeach’s best venues fill completely during Groundwater weekend) and accommodation months ahead, because the Gold Coast 500 runs the following weekend.
The 2026 lineup is headlined by Kasey Chambers, Kaylee Bell, The Wolfe Brothers, Beccy Cole, James Blundell and Kingswood, with 25-plus more acts including Henry Wagons, Ruth Moody, Hayley Jensen and 2026 Toyota Starmaker winner Jarrad Wrigley. The day-by-day program is released closer to the festival on groundwatercmf.com and the Experience Gold Coast app.
No BYO alcohol – Groundwater is an unlicensed event, so drinks can only be bought and consumed within the licensed venues and areas around the precinct. Chairs are welcome in the dedicated areas at the outdoor stages, though the festival doesn’t sell or hire them and camp chairs are limited to designated areas at certain times of day.
Planning for Groundwater 2026?
Book your Broadbeach accommodation early – October is the busiest time of year on the Gold Coast.
Written and maintained by a Broadbeach local. I update this guide regularly to keep it accurate.