There's something about CMC Rocks that you don't fully understand until you've lived inside it.
Not just attended it for a day or three, but actually existed within it; and this year we went all out and camped.
The days started waking up in a tent and ended falling asleep to laughter and music, and I found myself measuring time not in hours but in live sets, the memories I lived, and the ones I watched being made around me.
Five days of camping and country music somehow turn into a community that feels much bigger than a festival. It becomes a temporary town, built out of dust, cowboy boots, and an unspoken understanding that everyone here is part of the same story.
Image © Clea-marie Thorne
Wednesday and Thursday (18-19 March) felt like the gentle unfolding of that world, the kind of beginning that doesn't announce itself loudly, but instead grows quietly until you realise, you're already in it.
After setting up camp, sweating through the Queensland heat and negotiating tent poles and fold-out tables like it was a team sport, everything funnelled toward the campers bar.
That's where the heartbeat started. Filled with only those brave enough to do the full five days in a tent or caravan (or in my case, a swag).
After watching Robbie Mortimer, Hayley Jensen, and The Wet Whistles in that setting on the first night of campers felt less like watching artists and more like being let in on something personal.
Image © Clea-marie Thorne
They were the kind of sets where people lean in a little closer, where laughter cuts through songs, and where every lyric feels like it belongs to the crowd just as much as the person holding the mic.
By Thursday, that sense of community had already taken root. Sets from Bayker Blankenship and Waylon Wyatt blurred the line between performer and audience even further. You could walk in alone and walk out with a group chat, a shared drink, and a dozen new inside jokes.
By the time Friday (20 March) rolled around and the main festival began, the atmosphere felt fully alive. There was a shift in the air, a sense that everything had clicked into place.
Early in the day, Mackenzie May took the stage on the same day she dropped new music. You could feel the pride radiating outward, not just from her, but from the crowd too.
Image © Clea-marie Thorne
Then Brianna Dinsdale stood there, visibly emotional, talking about how playing CMC Rocks had always been her dream; and suddenly, the scale of the festival shifted again.
It wasn't just about fans watching artists, it was about artists having their dreams come true right in front of you. It strips away the distance and reminds you that everyone here started somewhere.
The Songwriters session that day captured that intimacy perfectly. Riley Green, James Johnston, Willow Avalon, and Waylon Wyatt sat together sharing stories behind the songs, stripping everything back to its core.
It was basically like sitting around a campfire with thousands of people; and then, because this is CMC, and costumes are always an important part of the weekend, you'd glance over and see people in full duck costumes and even a giant Riley Green sign.
Image © Keali Russell
Outside the stages, the culture kept unfolding in unexpected ways. A chicken wing competition somehow became a defining moment of the day, with Luke taking the win and earning instant festival legend status.
Alexandra Kay delivered what might have been the most universally relatable advice of the weekend: "If you're thinking of calling him when you're drunk tonight. . . don't!!" It echoed across the crowd, half laughter, half collective understanding. I know I definitely took note of that one.
Meanwhile, artists like Braxton Keith and Willow Avalon leaned into the shared fear of Australia's wildlife, joking about the "scary critters" lurking beyond the festival grounds.
Chicken wing competition - image © Keali Russell
One of the quieter moments came when James Johnston paused to ask those who were emergency services to raise their phone torches. As he spoke, a police officer walked past where I was sitting with their torch raised, cutting through the dusk.
It was brief, easy to miss, but it grounded everything. Behind the chaos and celebration, there's an entire network of people making this world possible, keeping it safe, keeping it running.
That night, when Riley Green stepped up to headline, it didn't feel like the start of something, it was the release of everything the day had been building toward.
Riley Green - image © Clea-marie Thorne
With one of the biggest crowds of the weekend, they were already there with him, voices loud, arms around each other, carrying the weight of every moment that had come before.
Check out our Friday photo gallery.
Saturday (21 March) somehow managed to feel even bigger, while still holding onto that same intimacy.
For me, it started with the Tree of Life, Dorothy the Dinosaur and Wags the Dog, with what can only be described as a rave, in the middle of a country festival, at the start of the day.
Yet, it made perfect sense. Adults and children danced alongside each other, even those who arrived early and had no children present.
The Songwriters session took another memorable turn when George Birge delivered an apology to women everywhere with 'You Made Me'.
It was funny, self-aware, and oddly heartfelt all at once. Later, Dasha appeared as a surprise guest at the line dancing classes in preparation for her set later in the night.
Image © Keali Russell
By this point, the costumes had taken on a life of their own. Cow outfits dominated the landscape, multiplying by the hour.
If there's one thing about CMC, it removes the pressure to be anything other than present. No one is too cool here. No one is watching you in the way you think they are. Everyone is just living in the moment.
Old Dominion closed out the night, it felt less like a finale and more like another shared chapter. People sang like they'd known these songs forever, arms slung over shoulders, swaying in a way that felt instinctive rather than planned.
Check out our Saturday photo gallery.
By Sunday (22 March), everything softened. There's a kind of emotional weight that settles in, not sadness exactly, but an awareness this temporary world is coming to an end.
People moved a little slower, voices a little raspier, a little more sunburnt than they started (myself included), but the connection felt deeper.
The Wet Whistles marked the two-year anniversary of releasing their first single, bringing everything back to where the weekend had started. It felt full circle in the most genuine way.
Meanwhile, Tucker Wetmore stepped onto the stage and his performance ability looked effortless, almost like he just naturally drifted into the moment rather than making a big deal out of it.
Fans held their signs up, hoping to catch his attention. The way he performed was magnetic, the kind of presence that makes you forget everything else for a second.
Yes! The costumes were still everywhere, one of my favourites being the custom matching Ringers Western shirts and the group of boys spotted at bingo dressed in their female friends' clothes.
Image © Keali Russell
As Jordan Davis took the stage to headline the final night, there was a sense of collective holding on. People clung to every moment, every lyric, every interaction, trying to stretch time just a little longer.
Check out our Sunday photo gallery.
Then, as the fireworks lit up the sky, it all came to a close in a way that felt both spectacular and deeply personal. Because CMC Rocks isn't just about the line-up. It's about the people you meet at 2am when you're both lost looking for the same tent or in line for the showers.
It's about the conversations that start with a lighter or a drink and somehow become meaningful. It's about artists achieving lifelong dreams while you create your own memories alongside them.
Image © Clea-marie Thorne
It's messy, loud, emotional, chaotic, and unfiltered, but underneath all of that, it's built on something simple and rare, a genuine connection.
As I sit at home writing this, scrolling through the photos and associated memories of my own, I can't help but get excited for next year, especially with it marking the 20th anniversary of CMC Rocks. The only disappointment being how long I have to wait.
