Western Downs Regevent Big Skies Festival faces 25 per cent fall in attendance numbers

Western Downs Regional Council has made a bombshell announcement on the future of the popular Big Skies festival as rising operation costs coincide with a significant fall in attendance numbers. DETAILS.

Big Skies Festival, held at the historic Jimbour House in Dalby, recorded a 25 per cent drop in attendance for their 2024 event according to Western Downs Regional Council. Photo: Contributed.

Western Downs Regional Council has announced that after seven years they will no longer be operating the popular Big Skies Festival.

Citing rising operation costs as the reason for divesting from the festival, the council will now aim to find a private enterprise to take on the festival into the future.

The bombshell comes after a report was tabled at the January council meeting which highlighted data from the festival and showed a significant decrease in visitor numbers from previous years, indicative of the state of Australian festivals.

Western Downs mayor Andrew Smith told the Dalby Herald the choice wasn’t easy, but they had decided to withdraw due to rising operational and resourcing costs.

“This was a very difficult decision for council, but sustainable, responsible resourcing and rising event costs had to be taken into consideration.,” he said.

“The Western Downs has a wonderful reputation for sustainable, unique destination events, and council is hopeful that the Big Skies may be taken over by an active, vibrant community group or local business with a passion for live music.

“Council has been proud to stage five memorable Big Skies Festivals since 2018 and we are grateful for the tremendous support received from sponsors, volunteers, and festival goers over the past seven years.”

Big Skies is just the most recent festival in Queensland to record a decline in attendance numbers.

Data from the report showed there were 1826 tickets sold in 2024 compared to 2426 in 2023, 548 camping sites scooped up compared to 763 the year prior and only 338 tours of Jimbour house bought compared to 428 the previous year.

The report said the lower attendance numbers were emblematic of the Australian festival scene.

“Big Skies wasn’t alone in this attendance impact, for example Splendour in the Grass, Groovin the Moo and Caloundra Music Festival all cancelled in 2024,” the report says.

“Bluesfest 2025 (after 34 years) will be its last event and Big Red Bash, after experiencing a major downturn in ticket sales in 2024, has just cancelled the 2025 event, now planning for 2026.

“Mt Isa Rodeo experienced a 45 per cent downturn in 2024 and $500,000 plus loss, with its future in question (after 66 years). Birdsville Races 2024 attracted approximately 3000 visitors, usually attracts approximately 6000 visitors, 2025 and Red Hot Summer Tour has been cut back to eight concerts with only one in Queensland.”

There have been five Big Skies Festivals delivered in seven years with the 2018 and 2019 festivals held in May and 2022 to 2024 held in October with the council report recommending whoever took over the event returned it to the May long weekend date.

Big Skies Saturday

The report says the October long weekend brought operational challenges such as competing events increasing hire fees, the date being too close to the end of the peak tourism season, heat and fires impacting the festival and a large number of farming guests being busy during harvest season.

The event also clashed with competing events including Millmerran Camp Oven Festival (held biennially), Texas QLD Country Music Festival, Ballandean Country Music Festival and the month-long Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers from September 13 to October 7.

Despite lower attendance numbers the festival received positive feedback with an overall satisfaction rating of 81 per cent.

Some of the feedback included: “Everything was run professionally. Having camping available makes it a real getaway. The stage and sound was top notch. The festival had a friendly fun vibe”.

“Great music, good convenient camping, good selection of food vendors and loved the tour of Jimbour House. The whole event was well organised,” another feedback report says.

“Organisation of the whole event was exceptional, from camping to the events.”

Big Skies Saturday

Council said the event would be better held between April 30 and May 4 in 2026.

“Moving the Big Skies Festival to May 2026 capture the start of the peak tourism season, does not compete with school holidays, provides advantages for operational cost efficiencies and offers a more comfortable visitor experience,” the report says.

“2026 will see a year full of festivals with many of the abovementioned rescheduling however being at the start of the calendar year, along with the start of the peak tourism season, does provide a distinct advantage for Big Skies Festival.

“Although, the attendance numbers were lower than anticipated, the positive feedback from attendees, sponsors, and contractors along with the economic impact Big Skies brings to the region still indicates a successful outcome for the delivery of this festival.”

Mr Smith said while they were no longer operating the Big Skies Festival there were still plenty of exciting council run events this year.

“Music events are important for our community and council will continue to deliver smaller local events, initiatives, and programs.

Council will also continue to support community-run tourism events and festivals through its community events, community activation and new destination events grant funding programs,” he said.

“The Western Downs is home to some of the most unique and successful destination events anywhere in Australia. Chinchilla Melon Fest is on next week, and Delicious DeLIGHTful Festival and Miles Back to the Bush Festival are also coming up later this year so we still have much to look forward to on the Western Downs events calendar.”

Originally published as Western Downs Regevent Big Skies Festival faces 25 per cent fall in attendance numbers