source : the age
The former site of Bluesfest in Byron Bay has hit the market, five months after the music event was cancelled.
The festival entered liquidation and organisers axed the event in March, weeks ahead of its scheduled opening, blaming the cancellation on rising costs.
The former festival site, at 30 Tanner Lane in Tyagarah, NSW, is open to expressions of interest.
“The property was formerly leased to the operators of the Byron Bay Bluesfest, with the site having a long-standing association with one of Australia’s most recognised and iconic music festivals,” the listing description said.
The 118-hectare property comprises six separate titles. Three residential dwellings on the property are each on their own title.
The property also has extensive commercial infrastructure, established office accommodation, an entertainment facility and existing income-producing tenancies.
The holding includes dedicated offices, staff amenities and extensive site infrastructure including roads, car parking, site sheds, box-office facilities, bridges, fencing, lighting, drainage, on-site sewerage and irrigation systems, fibre and electrical infrastructure and a dam.
This year’s five-day festival was planned to be held from April 2, headlined by Split Enz, Earth, Wind and Fire, Sublime, 19-Twenty, the Wailers and Erykah Badu.
It was axed on March 13, just three weeks before opening.
Organisers confirmed the event’s cancellation in a statement on the festival’s website, saying ticket holders would be contacted by liquidators about how to get a refund. The NSW government, which had provided funding for the event since 2009, described the cancellation as “deeply disappointing”.
“After 36 years as Australia’s most awarded music festival, Byron Bay Bluesfest has made the difficult decision not to proceed with the 2026 event,” festival organisers said.
“We are deeply saddened by this outcome and the impact it will have on our artists, staff, partners, vendors and the many loyal Bluesfest fans who have been part of the festival’s journey for more than three decades.
“Rising production, logistics, insurance and touring costs, together with a more challenging environment for major live events, mean it is not possible to deliver the festival to the standard audiences, artists and partners expect.”
