King Stingray, Meg Washington, Don Walker and Kingswood lead the first round of artists heading to Dashville.
It started in 2004 when a 20-year-old asked his parents if he could throw a festival in their front yard.
The Gum Ball Festival returns to Dashville in the Hunter Valley from 24–26 April for its 21st birthday edition, with the first round of 25 artists now locked in. King Stingray, Meg Washington, Don Walker and Kingswood top the bill, joined by These New South Whales, William Crighton, The Vasco Era, Jazzparty, Davey Lane and plenty more across the three-day weekend.
The Gum Ball has been running on Wonnarua country in Lower Belford ever since, growing from a backyard gathering into a 3000-capacity event that marked its biggest crowd yet at last year’s 20th anniversary. A second lineup announcement is due in late January, with an additional prelude concert on 23 April still to be revealed.
The Gum Ball Festival
- 24–26 April 2026
- Dashville, Lower Belford, Hunter Valley, NSW
- Tickets via dashville.com.au
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King Stingray return to The Gum Ball four years after blowing up as relative unknowns at the 2022 edition. The Yolŋu surf rock outfit from Northeast Arnhem Land have since picked up an ARIA Breakthrough Artist Award, the Australian Music Prize, and Album of the Year at the 2023 AIR Awards. Meg Washington arrives fresh from winning Best Original Soundtrack at the 2025 ARIAs for her work on How to Make Gravy, while Don Walker brings decades of Cold Chisel songwriting royalty to the bushland stage.
The rest of the first announcement spans Bluebottle Kiss, Mess Esque, Sub-Tribe, Brown Spirits, The Roadtrippers, Joan & The Giants, Dana Gehrman, Alter Boy, Milly Strange, Warbaby, Timothy Nelson, Benji & The Saltwater Soundsystem, Regikay, Fähm and Chain Daisy.
Dashville operates as a venue and campground built on permaculture principles, run by a small team of music lovers on family property. Past lineups have included Mudhoney, Hoodoo Gurus, You Am I, Sampa The Great and Ben Lee, alongside acts who went on to global recognition including King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, The Preatures and Psychedelic Porn Crumpets.
For more information, head here.
