Review: 2026 Groundwater Country Music Festival @ Broadbeach, Gold Coast

Sand between your toes and a sneaky ocean dip in between shows – this is just some of what the Groundwater Country Music Festival offered at the weekend. As a first-time attendee, I was ready to embrace everything this free festival in the heart of Broadbeach had to offer and I was not disappointed.

With the venues and stages gathered between the beach and two blocks from the beach, Groundwater definitely offered a different vibe to the usual country music festival, but mixed it up by also very much being in the city, with the main stage on Surf Parade surrounded by high rises. This mix of being both at the beach and in the city while being surrounded by many different sub-genres in the broad church of country made for an experience that’s hard to describe if you haven’t been.

From pop-influenced country and rock through to traditional sounds, bluegrass and stripped-back acoustic performances, there was something for every country music fan. The variety across the lineup meant audiences could move between different styles and discover artists who they might otherwise have never had the pleasure of seeing perform live.

One of the highlights was the opportunity to see songwriters take centre stage during a songwriter round with iHeart Country Australia. There is something very special about hearing the stories behind the songs from the writers before they perform them acoustically. For Sunday morning, it offered a gentle start to the day and the songwriter rounds always create a great bond between the artist and the audience members.

Check our full photo gallery from Groundwater Country Music festival 2026. Click here.

And, for those who love dancing, there were impromptu performances in the street and venues, but also organised line dance lessons right on a dance floor set up on the beach. Sand on your cowboy boots while learning the latest steps… what more could you ask for?

Groundwater is also not solely about the beach and the music, either, though, with markets in the park right near the Kurrawa Big Top, shows scattered through pubs and malls, but also, bring right in the heart of Broadbeach, meant there was a plethora of cuisines available for music lovers, with choosing breakfast, lunch and dinner becoming a global adventure of tastes. 

It was interesting having people going about their usual weekend activities while crowds of people were enjoying some of Australia’s (and beyond) country artists, which gave Groundwater a different feel to festivals that are fenced in or tucked away in their own precincts.

Each venue had its own vibe, also, with the pubs being rocky and having quite a few artists who performed covers, while others specialised in acoustic solo performances from emerging and established acts, with the main stages featuring band performances of more established artists.

Highlight artists for me were Canadian Dan Davidson back for his second Groundwater and fifth Australian trip, Queensland’s own Jake Whittaker, The Pigs who have to be seen to be described, the legendary James Blundell, musician and singer-songwriter Pete Denahy, and my discovery of the festival, Ruth Moody who I would describe as an Irish Alison Krauss.

I hope that Groundwater reeled in a few more country fans this year who’ll now make it an annual event and hopefully even check out the other great festivals around the countryside throughout the year. I’ve got my Broadbeach 2027 accommodation booked already…

Check our full photo gallery from Groundwater Country Music festival 2026. Click here.