Comiskey Group unveils new 150ha festival site with Coachella dreams

The hospitality juggernaut behind two major South East Queensland venues has unveiled plans for a Coachella-style festival venue, with hopes the first event could be staged before the end of the year.

THE pub barons behind the Eatons Hill and Sandstone Point hotels have unveiled plans for a Coachella-style festival venue in an investment worth “tens of millions”.

The Comiskey Group on Wednesday announced its next venture after more than six months of planning with a new music festival site near the Sunshine Coast.

Comiskey Group director Rob Comiskey said the 150ha site, dubbed Coochin Fields, would be similar to the Coachella Festival.

Mr Comiskey said the group purchased the twin sites, equivalent to 22 football fields, in a “beautiful, untouched” location south of Caloundra.

Comiskey Group director Rob Comiskey said the group purchased the sites last year. Picture: John Gass

Mr Comiskey said the venue would hold large scale camping festivals similar to Splendour in the Grass and Byron Bay Bluesfest.

“We’ve looked everywhere, inside Australia, overseas, look at Coachella, that sort of theme and style,” Mr Comiskey said of where inspiration came from.

“We’ve currently talking to existing festivals in Australia, to potentially come here for this to be their Queensland base. Or we could start up one ourselves.

“At the moment we are talking to Australia’s biggest acts, and international ones.”

The group is best known for its Eaton Hill and Sandstone Point hotels which have featured heavyweight acts including Prince, Ice Cube, The Beach Boys, Ke$ha and Post Malone.

Mr Comiskey said the site was the home to two turf farms and a strawberry farm and was otherwise surrounded by national parks.

He said it would be one of the state’s largest privately owned festival and camping sites.

The Comiskey Group this week announced its next venture after more than six months of planning with a new music festival site near the Sunshine Coast.

He said there would be no issue with noise complaints.

“It’s going to be pretty special,” he said.

“I’d expect our first festival to be within a year. Possibly later this year.

“The site is so big and close to Brisbane and Sunshine Coast airports.”

Mr Comiskey said the venue would create huge job opportunities for the hard hit tourism and entertainment sector.

Comiskey Group’s entertainment director Jonathan Jackson said he was eager to bring live music back to South East Queensland.

“It’s been a rough couple of years for the live music industry,” Mr Jackson said.

“But I am glad that we can get back to business and bring more local, national and international artists to the stage where they belong.

“It is a really impressive site that has so much potential. I am looking forward to showcasing the new space to more promoters, we have already seen incredible interest.”