Missy Higgins, Hoodoo Gurus, King Stingray, Birds of Tokyo, Troy Cassar-Daley, Lime Cordiale and The Cat Empire are among the Australian artists who will light up NSW stages from 21 March until 6 April for Great Southern Nights 2025.

This celebration of live music will deliver more than 300 gigs in entertainment precincts across the state, including Inner and Western Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, Central Coast, Byron Bay, Broken Hill, Orange, Tamworth and Tilba, reinforcing NSW’s position as the nation’s premier destination for cultural vibrancy and world-class live entertainment.

Great Southern Nights 2025 will showcase the very best of Australia’s music talent alongside young rising stars, creating unforgettable experiences for visitors and locals alike. By activating venues from the city, coast and to the outback, the event is set to provide a significant boost to local hospitality businesses, generate employment opportunities and energise the NSW visitor and night-time economies.

Great Southern Nights shares the stage on the state’s unrivalled cultural events calendar for the new year with other events, including Australia Day, Sydney Festival, Tamworth Country Music Festival, Parkes Elvis Festival, Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour and the Southern Hemisphere's leading multi-artform festival, Vivid Sydney.

Aligning with the NSW Government’s vibrancy reforms and shift towards experience-led tourism, the live music series underscores the commitment to revitalise live music, support artists and venues and turbocharge the state’s $52.9 billion visitor economy through authentic and immersive cultural experiences.

Great Southern Nights is a NSW Government initiative delivered via its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW in partnership with the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). 

To purchase tickets and to see the artist line-up, go to www.greatsouthernnights.com.au. Further artists are set to be announced in early 2025.

Minister for the Arts, Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy, and Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham said: “These stars will light up the night around the state. This is all part of the plan to boost live music and vibrancy across NSW. We’ve scrapped the rules that get in the way of live venues and we’re backing our bands to hit the stage. NSW has an incredible history of pub rock, east coast touring and outdoor shows. We hope Great Southern Nights will remind people just how good our live music scene can be.”

CEO of ARIA Annabelle Herd said: “This year, the momentum in our music community has been electric and it’s a privilege to continue fuelling that energy with another incredible lineup of artists for Great Southern Nights in 2025. From intimate venues in small towns to iconic city stages, these nights are about celebrating the astounding talent of our artists and sparking human connection in communities."

Great Southern Nights performing artist Charley said: "I am so excited to be playing a show for Great Southern Nights as this one will be a special one. I'll be playing some songs from my upcoming album for the first time ever at one of my fave intimate Sydney venues, Oxford Art Factory! I also have some incredible special guests performing before me and with me!! This will be such a fun show."

APPROVED IMAGERY HERE.

Group photo from L to R:

Bootleg Rascal, Minister John Graham, Annabelle Herd, Charley and Ben Lee.

About Destination NSW 

Destination NSW is the lead agency, champion and voice for the visitor economy within the NSW Government. Destination NSW influences and shapes the visitor economy through strategic research, policy and thought leadership, stakeholder engagement and consultation, commercial partnerships and investment in visitor experiences, business support, marketing and events. Destination NSW is also the major investor in Business Events Sydney (BESydney) for the purpose of securing more international and domestic conventions, incentive travel reward programs, corporate events and exhibitions for Sydney and regional NSW. 

About ARIA

The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a national industry association with more than 190 members representing major and independent record producers, manufacturers, and distributors. ARIA acts as an advocate for the Australian music industry, administers the labelling code of practice, and compiles industry information and research. It also produces the ARIA Charts every week and the annual ARIA Awards. Most importantly, ARIA supports Australian music and creates opportunities for it to be heard.

About Great Southern Nights

The inaugural Great Southern Nights was launched in November 2020 by the NSW Government, through Destination NSW and in partnership with ARIA. Returning in March 2022, the event played a vital role in supporting the live music, entertainment, and hospitality sectors as they recovered from pandemic impacts. Great Southern Nights continues to build on its success, providing a strong platform to collaborate with venues, artists, and music organisations. Together, we’re championing the importance of live performances as a key driver of the creative industries. As noted in A New State of Night, the NSW 24-Hour Economy Strategy, “live music, venues and events make communities more creative and connected, providing valuable employment opportunities and a more diverse night-time offering.”