Next year's Gympie Music Muster is already living up to the festival's incredible legacy with a line-up mixing country music legends with the next-gen superstars already creating waves both locally and abroad.
Set to welcome 15,000-plus patrons injecting close to $16 million into the local economy, Gympie Music Muster is more than a jewel in Australia's live music scene.
It's living proof that although the current landscape remains volatile for festivals, with the right audience paired with promoter gumption the unbridled joy of live music in a festival setting remains viable.
Multi–Golden Guitar winner Amber Lawrence will be the Muster's 2026 ambassador, an honour she is beyond ecstatic to accept in what will be her tenth appearance at Gympie.
Australian country music legend Lee Kernaghan headlines the first artist drop, the 'Boys From The Bush' and 'She's My Ute' hitmaker to be joined by fellow Aussie legend (and 14-time Golden Guitar winner) Graeme Connors as well as country music stalwarts like Adam Eckersley Band, Beccy Cole, Brooke McClymont & Adam Eckersley, James Blundell, Nathan Cavaleri, and 2025 Muster ambassadors The Wolfe Brothers, who posted "Gympie. We are coming back in 2026! 🇦🇺🔥💪🏼."
An emerging crop of talented artists will also venture to Gympie in 2026, including Brooke Schubert, Cass Eager, James Johnston, Lane Pittman, Pierce Brothers, Sara Berki, Taylor Moss, Tori Darke and Zac & George.
"We're coming back! 👊 After that much fun last time, no way we'd miss it! See you there 🙌," Zac & George posted. Adds Brooke Schubert: "Let's go – Gympie Muster '26! I'm beyond excited to be back at Amamoor next year to celebrate 30 years since my FIRST MUSTER performance! Grab your tickets and get ready for an incredible weekend."
For Amber, being named the event's ambassador is a full–circle moment, 20 years in the making. "The Gympie Muster is such an iconic Australian festival, one that I could only dream of playing when I first started my career," she says.
"It's a bucket list festival to play, so it's even more of a bucket list to be trusted to be the ambassador. What an honour to be trusted to continue to spread the word of how great a festival it is and be part of the line up in 2026.
"This year will be my tenth Muster, and my first Muster was 20 years ago – can you believe those stats?! I feel its history is so important because of how long it's been running and the number of Australian legends that have played on those iconic stages.
"Its location is also so special, and, of course, the people who attend including people who have never missed a Muster, people who come weeks in advance to rope off their sites, fans who stand in the sun, rain, the mud, the dust to sing-along to their favourite Australian acts. It's just special."
Husband–and–wife duo Brooke and Adam Eckersley return to a festival that has played a major role in their individual careers and now their family life together.
"We've both been coming to the Muster since 1998. Brooke was signed to Universal Records from winning the Muster talent search, so it's always held a special place from where our careers started," shares the pair.
"What makes it so special for us is we take our kids and all of our friends and then they bring their family and friends, so it really is a wonderful place for loved ones to catch up and enjoy the amazing festival together."
Adam add that he's also looking forward to getting back onstage with the Adam Eckersley Band. "The boys and I have probably played throughout the years three or four times as well; the Blues Bar is one of our favourites, so it will be good to play all the AEB songs this year."
Graeme Connors also shared some reflections on his long association with the Gympie Music Muster. "In light of the fact that my archives are currently in storage due to renovations, the only accurate answer to how many Musters I've played is 'many. . . heaps. . . but still not enough!'
"The Muster audiences and organisers have always been open-minded and generous welcoming newcomers and celebrating long-term career artists. It was and still is the most supportive major music festival when it comes to Australian voices and Australian stories."
Gympie Music Muster takes place at Amamoor Creek State Forest (Sunshine Coast) from 27-30 August, 2026.
Gympie Music Muster 2026 Line-up
Adam Eckersley Band
Amber Lawrence
Beccy Cole
Bo'Ness Brothers
Brett Wood
Brewn
Brooke McClymont & Adam Eckersley
Brooke Schubert
Cass Eager
Chase the Sun
Claudia Tripp
Graeme Connors
Jake Whittaker
James Blundell
James Johnston
Lane Pittman
Lee Kernaghan
Luke Geiger
Marshall & The Fro
Max Jackson
Nathan Cavaleri
PETRIC
Pierce Brothers
Route 33
Sara Berki
Taylor Moss
The Pigs
The Wolfe Brothers
Tori Darke
The Vibrolators
Zac & George
