Four of the Hepburn Shire’s most loved festivals have secured support for the next two years – guaranteeing more colour, music, books, pride and spuds for locals and visitors alike.

At its September Ordinary Meeting, Hepburn Shire Council voted to sign two-year Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with ChillOut Festival, Clunes Booktown, The Great Trentham Spudfest and CresFest.

Mayor Cr Don Henderson said these events are more than just dates on the calendar – they are part of what makes the Hepburn Shire unique.

“Our events are a drawcard to our Shire, delivering $15 million in visitor expenditure, 128,000 overnight stays, 62 event days and 27 separate tourism events annually,” Cr Henderson said. “They inject colour and personality into our townships and draw people from near and far.”

Each of the four events will receive Signature Event support under Council’s Event Strategy, including a mix of financial assistance and in-kind support:

  • ChillOut Festival – $20,000 per year plus $10,000 in-kind support.
  • Clunes Booktown – $16,000 per year plus $7,500 in-kind support.
  • The Great Trentham Spudfest – $16,000 per year plus $7,500 in-kind support.
  • CresFest – $10,000 per year plus $6,000 in-kind support.

ChillOut is Australia’s longest-running and largest regional LGBTIQA+ pride festival. Clunes Booktown attracts booklovers from around the world to browse and buy from the charming goldfields town’s bookshops. Spudfest puts the humble potato – and Trentham, recently crowned Australia’s Top Tiny Tourism Town – in the spotlight. CresFest brings Creswick alive each autumn with folk and roots music in venues all over town.

Council says CresFest will continue to receive additional officer support to encourage its growth.

With this funding secured, festival organisers can now get to work planning bigger and better events for 2026 and 2027.

Read more about what’s on in the region in the Hepburn Shire events page.

This article is based on a media release from Hepburn Shire Council.