Mountain Festival

01/05/2025

Check out The Appleton Ladies' Potato Race - a sharp, funny, and big-hearted Australian play hitting the stage in Macedon this June.

We’re thrilled to see Mark Constable - who moved audiences in the Ash Wednesday play at the Mountain Festival - return to Mountview Theatre, this time with his director hat on.

Book now: https://www.trybooking.com/DAKYH

BIG NEWS! Tickets for The Appleton Ladies' Potato Race are LIVE! Click our bio link to book, or read on for the synopsis:

A town divided, a tradition questioned, and a doctor with a mission—Written by Melanie Tait, The Appleton Ladies’ Potato Race is a big-hearted Australian comedy that will have you laughing one moment and thinking the next.

When Penny Anderson, the town’s new GP, returns to her childhood home of Appleton, she’s shocked to find the local potato race prize still sits at $1000 for men and just $200 for women. Determined to change this outdated tradition, she sets out on a mission to even the playing field. But not everyone is on board, especially the no-nonsense Bev, who sees Penny as another city slicker disrupting country ways.

Director Mark Constable will present this hilarious and uplifting production at The Mountview Theatre (home of the ) in Macedon over twelve performances through three weekends in June 2025. Featuring a talented cast of five women, the play takes a sharp yet affectionate look at small-town life, change, and the fight for equality.

This multi award-winning cast includes international theatre actors and Macedon Ranges locals Sophie Cleary, Sharni Page along with the much loved and renowned Shayne Francis, Sheila Kumar and Australian industry legend, Margot Knight.


https://www.trybooking.com/DAKYH

22/01/2025

The Ash Wednesday play moved hearts at the Mountain Festival in November and inspired real action:

- 100% of attendees recommend it as an amazing piece of theatre.
- 83.7% found it valuable for rural resilience planning.
- 42% committed to preparing their homes for emergencies.

Now, YOU can support its future and win an incredible painting by acclaimed artist Daniel Butterworth! 🎨

🎟 Tickets from $20 - link in comments

The online raffle will be drawn on the 42nd anniversary of the Ash Wednesday Fires on 16 February 2025.

Please share to any locals and community groups that you think may be interested in supporting the play (and would love the amazing artwork).

18/12/2024

Like many around the country (and the world), the team at Mountain Festival are mourning the death of John Marsden. He was not only one of Australia’s greatest childrens’ and YA authors, but also one of its most visionary educationalists. A brave and generous man who dedicated his life to improving the lives of children through his writing and his schools. John was an early supporter of Mountain Festival and was our first festival ambassador. Many of us here have been inspired by John’s ideas and touched by his kindness and brilliance. Thank you John, you will be missed but your gifts to the world will live on 🙏🙏🙏

17/12/2024

We are very close to being in social media wind down after our fantastic festival, however we just wanted to point out ONE more thing about Community Bank Gisborne & District before we eat another mince tart.

We know just how much this bank does for our community, but do you know how? It is through locals becoming customers.

By choosing Community Bank Gisborne & District for your personal or business banking, you contribute to the revenue stream that supports community reinvestment.

The more the bank grows, the more funds are available for community projects just like Mountain Festival!

Check them out!

All over Australia, homeowners are saving money with a free Bendigo Bank home loan health check.

How much could you save?

Enquire now
Call Community Bank Gisborne & District on (03) 5420 7210 or visit
https://www.bendigobank.com.au/campaigns/better-home-loan/

12/12/2024

We're enormously grateful to have been able to work with the team at Community Bank Gisborne & District to make Mountain Festival a reality in 2024. Community Bank Gisborne & District's commitment to arts, culture & social purpose means we've been fortunate to have had them as strong supporters of Mountain Festival since its inception in 2022. Thank you!

28/11/2024

We've been so fortunate to receive support from local business to make Mountain Festival possible - and we're not the only ones! If you get out and about in the Macedon Ranges, you're sure to find Community Bank Gisborne & District pitching in to make local initiatives a success. Why not join them in Woodend tonight for some late night shopping? Have a wander and check out all the Christmas trees, and play your part in supporting our local economy. Plus you'll get some Christmas shopping done!

Our sponsored Woodend Village Christmas tree is standing pride of place in High Street all ready to light up for tonight's Late Night Shopping! This is such a great way to support your local businesses - head down and enjoy the wonderful community atmosphere that makes all of our hearts here at the Community Bank sing!

26/11/2024

We are so grateful to all of the sponsors, supporters and partners that helped us make Mountain Festival possible. We couldn't have done it without you.

Our Principal Sponsor
Melbourne Airport

Our Major Sponsors

Macedon Ranges Shire Council
Community Bank Gisborne & District
Leecare Solutions

Our Supporters

The Wheeler Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas
Nelle May
Alice Miller School and Candlebark
Europcar
Quarterly Essay
Plakkit
Daylesford Macedon Ranges Tourism
TCC Real Estate

Our Venue Partners

Duneira
Jubilee Hall Macedon
Mount Monument
Red Door Books of Lancefield
The Mount Players
Macedon Primary School

Our Accommodation Partners

Malmsbury Barn House B&B
Macedon Ranges Hotel & Spa
Islay House Woodend
Braeside Mt Macedon Country Retreat
The Burrow at Wombat Bend

Our Food & Wine Partners

Mount Towrong Vineyard
Bindi Wines
Tilly's Wines
Rock & Ranges Brewing Co-operative
Zig Zag Winery
Harvest & Soul- Providore, Catering & Events

26/11/2024

Thank you so much from all of the Mountain Festival team for an amazingly fabulous weekend. We listened to environmentalists, musicians, poets, fiction writers, scientists; we walked in the bush, spotted nocturnal animals, made potions, drank local wines, planted Indigenous tubers, made art works, and were brought to tears by the extraordinary Ash Wednesday play.

We wanted to bring you a festival of ideas, hope and inspiration - a celebration of nature and place. We most of all wanted to bring you joy. From the feedback we’ve received so far, it’s clear to us we succeeded.

Over the coming days, weeks and months, we will endeavour to get pictures up on our socials and website. We also have the audio and video recordings of all the sessions, which we will share when ready, so you can watch the sessions you missed and re watch some of your favourites.

We also have many, many people to thank, so watch this space and stay in touch on here, or you can find us on Insta as well.

23/11/2024

Need something to do indoors today?? We're really looking forward to this panel that will explore human creativity, art, and the cognitive strengths of neurodivergent people. Radio National's Natasha Mitchell talks to Lynne Kelly about her research into the source of human creativity, with special guests Jane Rusden & Hilary Blackshaw, this panel will explore what it was that transformed humanity into musical, artistic & storytelling beings.

Rush tickets on the door are now $20. Hurry down and join us for this special treat at Mountview Theatre.

Lynne Kelly (The Knowledge Gene) talks to Radio National’s Natasha Mitchell about uncovering the source of human creativity; a gene that mutated 500,000 years ago and transformed humanity into musical, artistic and storytelling beings. With special guests Jane Rusden and Hilary Blackshaw the panel will discuss art and the cognitive strengths of neurodivergent people.

Dr Lynne Kelly AM is an educator and an Adjunct Research Fellow in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at La Trobe University, and an Honorary Fellow in the School of Physics at the University of Melbourne. Over the past decade, she has focused on Indigenous knowledge systems and the use of story, song, place and art as mnemonic devices and her work is used widely in schools and universities.

Lynne Kelly is the author of 20 books on science including the bestselling The Memory Code, Memory Craft and Songlines: the Power and Promise. Her new book, The Knowledge Gene, explains why evolution ensured that the uniquely human skills of music, art and story are innate in all of us, despite introducing a devastating genetic disorder. It also explains why evolution ensured that all human populations involve neurodiverse members.

For more details and bookings visit mountainfestival.com.au

23/11/2024

Gardening Plans rained out this morning?

All is not lost - why not stay dry & join us at Mountain Festival? We have a lovely undercover seating area with views to the bush, coffee & food vans and some amazing sessions to entertain you.

Hear Paul Bangay & Stephen Ryan in discussion about big garden design, or maybe you'd like to sit in on Millie Ross and a lovely rambling discussion about all things trees with Dave Witty & Sophie Cunningham. Even better, all single session tickets today are $20 on the door. There's even a book shop (inside & dry!) stacked with ALL the nature and environment books you wanted to buy for Christmas. You can even have them signed by the author!

Have a look at the planner on our website and just come down - you can buy tickets for all events on the door - see you there!