Grounded Festival returns to Dookie Quarry this November with Sam + Sam headlining on sacred land.
Regional Victoria’s most unique music gathering transforms an abandoned quarry into something magical for one weekend each year.
Grounded Festival has built a reputation as the kind of intimate experience that connects people to place, music and each other in ways that bigger festivals simply can’t replicate. Located just 20 minutes from Shepparton, Dookie Quarry provides a raw, weathered backdrop carved deep into Yorta Yorta Country.
Grounded Festival
- Where: Dookie Quarry, Dookie (20 minutes from Shepparton)
- When: 29 November
- Tickets: Available online
Grounded’s 2025 lineup
- The Meltdown
- Sam + Sam
- Isaiah Firebrace
- This Way North
- The Wildlings
- Kaitlyn Martin
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.
Sam + Sam headline the very special festival
Sam + Sam continue their momentum following their chart-topping album Evolve, which hit number three on the ARIAs and claimed the top iTunes spot. After touring nationally with Jimmy Barnes and The Living End, the duo brings high-energy rock with emotional depth to the quarry setting. Indie-folk duo The Wildlings rounds out programming with their tender yet chaotic approach to storytelling through song.
Homecoming performance for Isaiah Firebrace
Isaiah Firebrace’s return to Country carries extra significance as the proud Yorta Yorta and Gunditjmara man brings his journey full circle. Since winning The X Factor Australia at 17 and representing Australia at Eurovision the following year, Firebrace has navigated international fame while staying connected to his cultural roots. Now 25, married and a new father, his Grounded Festival appearance marks his first performance on Yorta Yorta land with his son in the audience.
Firebrace’s recent creative output includes another instalment of his Come Together series, introducing First Nations culture to young readers across Australia. His musical evolution reflects his personal growth, moving beyond teen stardom to create work that honours his heritage and speaks to his experience as a father and cultural advocate.
Diverse lineup showcases emerging Australian talent
Supporting acts represent some of Australia’s most promising emerging artists alongside established performers. This Way North brings indie pop-rock energy from Yackandandah, while The Meltdown delivers blues-infused soul with Stax and Motown influences. Rising star Kaitlyn Martin, fresh from The Voice Australia mentorship under Adam Lambert, opens proceedings with intimate indie-pop performances.
Quarry setting creates a unique festival atmosphere
Dookie Quarry’s geological features create natural amphitheatre conditions that enhance both acoustic properties and visual impact. Rock walls glow golden during day sessions before transforming into cool, otherworldly surfaces under evening lighting. Festival organisers emphasise the venue’s ability to humble visitors and create reverent connection to place rather than typical festival chaos.
Grounded Festival emerged in 2019 as an expansion of the Goulburn Valley’s Secret Garden gigs, growing into something that celebrates regional artistic talent while respecting Traditional Country. Programming focuses on original songwriting and authentic connection rather than commercial appeal, creating space for audiences to slow down and engage meaningfully with performances.
Practical elements include bring-your-own seating arrangements, local food vendors, and emphasis on community gathering rather than corporate entertainment. Access via Shepparton makes the event reachable for Melbourne audiences seeking alternatives to metropolitan festival experiences, while maintaining its regional character and intimate scale.
Cultural acknowledgment runs through all festival programming, with explicit recognition of Yorta Yorta Traditional Custodians and integration of Indigenous perspectives into the broader artistic vision. This approach extends beyond tokenistic acknowledgment to genuine collaboration and cultural respect throughout the event structure.
For more information, head here.
This article was made in partnership with Grounded Festival.
