SOUNDSWELL FAQ’s

FAQ's

Soundswell will be held at Queens Wharf, Morpeth. 

Soundswell runs from 3.00pm – 9.00pm.

Soundswell is a free event for all to attend. 

Dogs are permitted on site at Soundswell, however they must be on a leash and with their owner at all times.

We ask that dog owners respect the event site as well as other event attendees by picking up after your dog.

We expect crowds of around 5,000 – 8,000 people so we ask that you don’t bring any dogs with an aggressive nature to the event.

There will be a number of food stalls at the event.

Please visit our Food and Drink page for more information. 

Event is fully licensed, no BYO alcohol or glass permitted.

 

There are a range of parks around Morpeth that patrons will have the opportunity to park in. We recommend the following:

  • Closebourne Village 
  • Swan Street 

All car parks have accessibility parking available. 

Please visit Hunter Valley buses to organise your journey to the event on 02 4935 7200 or huntervalleybuses.com.au

No, there will not be shuttle buses running between the station and the event.

There are regular bus services running throughout the weekend, please visit Hunter Valley Buses to organise your journey to the event on 02 4935 7200 or huntervalleybuses.com.au.

Please leave your beach umbrellas and shade tents at home.

Yes, you are allowed to bring your chair and rug to the event. 

Activity Program

There will be a range of activities for the whole family at the Australia Day in Maitland. 

FREE ENTRY TO THE POOLS

Free entry to both Maitland and East Maitland Aquatic Centres from 10.00am to 4.00pm

FREE BREAKFAST BBQ

From 7.30am – 9.30am there will be a free breakfast BBQ facilitated by East Maitland Lions Club. 

OFFICAL CEREMONY

Australia Day Offical Ceremony will be held at Maitland Town Hall from 10.30am – 12.00pm 

ACTIVITIES IN MAITLAND PARK

A range of activities will be available for the whole family to enjoy from 7.30am – 12.30pm. 

FACE PAINTING

We know how much the kids love face painting, so we have made sure to get some talented face painters to decorate the kids.

Face painters will be located at Maitland Park. 

KIDS ACTIVITES

There will be a range of arts and craft activities to keep the little ones entertained from 7.30am – 12.30pm. 

Come along and colouring in and decorate your very own face mask. 

VOLLEYBALL AND LAWN GAMES

A range of lawn games will be available for the whole family to enjoy.

 7.30am – 12.30pm there will be a classic car display from Maitland Classic Motor Association located in Maitland Park. 

A range of food and drinks will be available for the whole family to enjoy. 

Dive in Cinema will be held at the Maitland Aquatic Centre from 5.00pm – 9.00pm. 

BACKYARD CRICKET

Backyard cricket will be available for the whole family to enjoy facilitated by City United District Cricket Club. 

SACK RACES AND EGG AND SPOON RACES

There will be sack races and egg and spoon races facilitated by Scouts.  

There will be a farm animals petting zoo from 8.00am – 11.00am facilitated by Sweet Valley Baby Animals and produce co. 

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TEMPORARY TATTOS

There will be a range of temporary tattos from 7.30am – 12.30pm.  

STAGE PROGRAM

Maitland Regatta 2023
TIME PERFORMANCE
7.30am - 9.00am Little Cents
9.05am - 10.05am Maitland City Brass Band
10.15am - 11.00am Autumn Hearts
11.05am - 11.25am City of Maitland Pipes and Drums
11.30am - 12.15pm Autumn Hearts

Getting Here

GETTING HERE

From Saturday 13 January – 6.00am – 11.59pm

  • Queens Wharf Road
  • Changed conditions on Morpeth Road and Swan Street 

The Boat Ramp will be closed from 6.00 am Saturday 13 January to 11.59 pm Monday 15 January. 

Maitland Events is committed to making our events a safe, inclusive and enjoyable event for all.

For people with a disability or those with accessibility requirements coming along to our events who would like further information on the site specifics or require alternative arrangement assistance prior to the event, please feel free to contact the Maitland Events Team on 4931 2801 or email [email protected]

Make it a weekend and book a country farm stay, cosy cottage getaway, eco retreat or funky guesthouse.

Find out more here.

There are a range of parks around Morpeth that patrons will have the opportunity to park in. We recommend the following:

  • Closebourne Village 
  • Swan Street 

All car parks have accessibility parking available. 

Please visit Hunter Valley buses to organise your journey to the event on 02 4935 7200 or huntervalleybuses.com.au

No, there will not be shuttle buses running between the station and the event.

There are regular bus services running throughout the weekend, please visit Hunter Valley Buses to organise your journey to the event on 02 4935 7200 or huntervalleybuses.com.au.

Food & Drink

FOOD AND DRINK

Come along to Soundswell on Saturday 13 January there will be plenty of food and drink on offer for the whole family to enjoy.

Explore the beautiful town of Morpeth and its boutique food and shopping experiences before settling in for the afternoon at Queens Wharf Park.

Event is fully licensed, no BYO alcohol or glass permitted. 

See below some of our stallholders attending the event.

Some of the local food businesses in Morpeth will be open. Be sure to go check them out! 

BAR MENU

Kira Puru

KIRA PURU

4.30PM - 5.30PM

Fearless and disruptive, Kira Puru is back to remind us all why she is a pop icon for the modern age. Both on-stage and online, Puru has earned a reputation for captivating crowds as a razor-sharp performer with a personality to match.

Gathering a cult following with her hypnotic debut, Tension, Kira’s star is ever-rising. Her second hit Molotov landed at #75 on triple j’s Hottest 100, and most recent offering, Talk With Me, currently sits at #1 on triple j’s most played. Widely respected as one of Australia’s biggest voices, Kira has played at festvials and performed with artists such as Peking Duk, Thelma Plum and Yungblud.

“She’s the party queen we don’t deserve, but most certainly need” – THE MUSIC
“A unique presence in Australia’s pop landscape” – PURPLE SNEAKERS
“..stadium-ready swagger.” – MUSIC JUNKEE

 

Kate Miller-Heidke

KATE MILLER-HEIDKE

7.50PM - 9.00PM

Kate Miller-Heidke is an award-winning singer-songwriter who traverses the worlds of contemporary pop, folk, musical theatre and opera. 

She has released five top 10 studio albums including O Vertigo!, Nightflight, and Curiouser, which reached double platinum sales and featured the multi-platinum hits ‘The Last Day On Earth’ and ‘Caught In The Crowd’. In 2009 she and her collaborator Keir Nuttall became the first Australians to win the grand prize in the International Songwriting Competition for ‘Caught in the Crowd’

Her work has been nominated for ARIAs in categories as diverse as Best Pop Release, Best Adult Contemporary Album, Best Classical Album, Best Cast Recording, Best Comedy Release and Best Australian Live Act.

Trained as a classical singer at the Queensland Conservatorium, Kate has appeared at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in John Adams’ The Death of Klinghoffer. She has performed several roles for the English National Opera, and in Jerry Springer The Opera at the Sydney Opera House. 

Her debut opera as a composer, The Rabbits (based on the book by Shaun Tan and John Marsden), was commissioned by Opera Australia and premiered at the Perth Festival in February 2015, followed by sold out seasons in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. It won 4 Helpmann Awards including Best Score and Best New Australian Work. 

With her collaborator Keir Nuttall, she has written the music and lyrics to Muriel’s Wedding: The Musical, which premiered at the Sydney Theatre Company and played throughout 2019 in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. It won five Helpmann Awards, including Best Original Score. They also composed music for Twelfth Night (2018) and As You Like It (2021), both for Melbourne Theatre Company.

After competing at Eurovision – Australia Decides on the Gold Coast in February 2019, Kate was unanimously chosen by both the jury and public votes to become Australia’s representative at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest. Kate’s heartfelt performance and the out-of-this world staging of her original song Zero Gravity won her first place in her semi-final, a top ten placing in the Grand Final, and the coveted Marcel Bezançon Award for Artistic Achievement. 

Kate’s latest album, Child In Reverse, was released in October 2020 to enormous critical acclaim, debuting in the top 10 of the ARIA Charts. In March 2022, Kate released her latest single ‘You Can’t Hurt Me Anymore’ featuring Jaguar Jonze, alongside a new Deluxe Edition of the album with ten bonus tracks.

The Appointments

THE APPOINTMENTS

3.00PM - 4.00PM

The Appointments’ roots/ indie rock sound distills rock, blues, reggae and a fine-ass record collection into a flavour of their own. Crafting melodies over funky-reggae-rock dancefloors, The Appointments are equal parts reflective song writers, and inhibition shattering groove machines. In constant calamity, The Appointments’ dish up a healthy dose of honesty and positivity via blues licks, ethereal live moments, and intoxicating dancefloors.

Sonically, the Newcastle/ Awabakal country-based band draws from Bob Marley, Ben Harper, My Morning Jacket, John Butler Trio, Van Morrison, The Police, Arctic Monkeys, Ocean Alley, Chronixx and Fat Freddy’s Drop.

To date, the band has shared the stage with Sydney legend, Andy Clockwise and The Rions through their tours and travels on the east coast of Australia.

Brothers Rhys (Guitar, Vocals) and Eli Love (Drums, Vocals) have been lifelong musical collaborators, joined by former housemates, Kurt Speirs (Bass) & Duncan Brown (Percussion/Keys)

Boo Seeka

BOO SEEKA

6.10PM - 7.20PM

Boo Seeka is the soulful, genre-bending solo project of Australian singer-songwriter Ben “Boo” Gumbleton.

Boo has built an incredibly strong foundation in his home country; he has been nominated for Triple J’s Unearthed Artist of The Year, has three tracks ARIA certified Gold, was featured on fellow Australian artist Hayden James’ 2022 albumLIFTED as well as hit the stage as his 2022 tour support, and has performed at multiple iconic Australian festivals including Splendour In The Grass and Beyond the Valley. Now, he looks to spread his reach even further across the globe.

Boo has kicked off 2023 with unstoppable force. He’s currently on a headline regional tour across Australia, touching down in 25+ markets. With three sold out headline Australian tours under his belt, it’s no surprise ticket sales are quickly rising as this tour continues.

Boo’s talent has not gone unnoticed, as he recently inked a worldwide deal withKygo’s Palm Tree Records.

This exciting new partnership, alongside his new publishing deal with Australian powerhouse Mushroom Publishing, and signing with Untitled Artist Management as their flagship signing, 2023 issue to bring Boo Seeka’s music to even greater heights.

Food and Beverage

FOOD & BEVERAGE

This summer for Australia Day, we’re making sure that we have plenty of delicious food and drink on offer for the whole family to enjoy.

From community sausage sizzles to ice cream and coffee, there is something to cater for everyone.  

Australia Day in Maitland
7.30am - 9.30am Free Breakfast BBQ East Maitland Lions Club
7.30am - 12.30pm Coffee Storm Coffee Stop and Aurabelle Coffee
10.00am - 12.30pm Food and Beverage Lulu's Gelato Company and Tropical Sno Hunter Valley
10.30am - 12.30pm BBQ East Maitland Lions Club

Get Involved

VOLUNTEER

Maitland Events is seeking volunteers to assist in the delivery of Maitland River Regatta.

Volunteering is a great opportunity to meet new people, work as part of a team, give back to the community and learn new skills whilst having a lot of fun in the process.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer at Australia Day or any of the other flagship events, contact the Maitland Events team on [email protected] or call 02 4931 2801

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SPONSOR

Stand out from your competitors, build your brand and reach your target market with a Maitland Events sponsorship package.

Benefits of sponsorship:

  • Maitland Events can help build brand awareness via pre, during and post event promotions in a difficult to reach market
  • Help to launch your products and services into the marketplace through a targeted marketing campaign consisting of direct mail, digital marketing and social media promotions
  • Gain access to a diverse range of contacts through the Maitland Events network
  • Expose your brand to local, interstate and international audiences
  • Align with a premier event that helps you increase your credibility in the industry

As a major sponsor, businesses will benefit from direct community exposure as well the opportunity to leverage the well recognised Maitland Events brand.

For more information on our different Sponsorship packages please contact the Maitland Events Team on 02 4931 2801 or email [email protected]

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