Australia’s Beyond The Valley is a bucket-list festival worth flying across the world for

In partnership with Beyond the Valley

If you’re trying to see off 2022 in style, look no further than Australian music festival Beyond The Valley. Returning to its four-day, camping-based format and landing in its new home in the Barunah Plains of Hesse, Victoria on December 28, the festival’s seventh edition promises to deliver world-class entertainment marked by unforgettable experiences and, obviously, banging performances.

Boasting a lineup of over 50 artists, a podcast stage, markets and countless on-site activities, Beyond The Valley is pulling out the stops to make itself your new year’s getaway. Here are four things to know about the 2022 festival.

Splendid stages

A line-up like Beyond The Valley’s needs equally impressive stages – and with its three distinct stages, the festival will deliver. Situated at the heart of the Barunah Plains is the festival’s main stage, which is housed in one of the world’s largest and oldest natural amphitheatres. Used for Corroborees and dance performances by the Wadawurrung people for over 60,000 years, the site will also host the Welcome To Country and Smoking ceremonies which kick off the festival.

With the main stage’s massive custom design and state-of-the art audio-visual systems, be prepared for larger-than-life performances from your favourites, whether you’re moshing to ragers by Florida rap dynamo Denzel Curry, vibing to Auckland bedroom pop princess BENEE, or boogying to the festival-ready jams of San Cisco.

Want a break from the sun? Mosey over to the festival’s Dance Tent. Its 70-metre wide LED wall and state of the art sound system will guarantee pristine sound and mind-bending graphics. With a few more steps down the plains, you’ll reach the festival’s beloved Dr. Dan’s stage, a dance coliseum whose reimagined design will allow punters a better view of their favourite DJs.

And if the three main stages weren’t enough, the festival has one more venue to show off – but you have to work for it. Accessible only by an unspecified portaloo door (careful figuring out which one!), the Schmall Klüb will feature your favourite DJs performing spontaneous sets in an intimate setting. With huge names on the line-up, you wouldn’t want to miss the opportunity to see a surprise show in this tiny room.

Feed your brain

Did you know Australia is the world’s biggest podcast-loving nation? Well, Beyond the Valley does – it’s the first festival in Australia dedicating an entire interactive stage to the nation’s brightest podcasters.

Here, fans can witness their favourite hosts record special episodes where they exchange ideas with creators in real time. Chat about the importance of kindness with AIME, hear Courtney Hagan and Matika Little discuss the intersection of sexuality and Indigenous identity on Coming Out, Blak, and have your assumptions about disability challenged by Listenable’s Dylan Alcott and Angus O’Loughlin. If you love a good pod, Beyond the Valley will give you the chance to engage your favourite creators in fun and informative conversations about issues big and small.

But also, chill out

Obviously, festivals aren’t just about the moments of euphoria (or the intense podcast convos): they’re getaways from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Beyond The Valley 2022 offers attendees plenty of options for R&R – perfect for a breather between sets. Head to the Beach Club for a refreshing dip in the water or a poolside tanning sesh, before grabbing a bite at the festival’s Food Village which will offer not only a wide variety of food and bevs to meet all dietary requirements, but also shaded seating for an escape from the sweltering heat.

For those in need of retail therapy, look no further than the festival’s markets, where you may find everything from the functional – like a trusty pair of shades – to the sentimental. And if you’re feeling fabulous, show off your true colours at Poof Doof’s “party-on-the-move”, Pride Patrol, or attend a game of Drag Bingo, hosted by some of the region’s biggest drag queens, who may leave you laughing too hard to yell “bingo”.

If live music doesn’t offer enough transcendence for you, you may want to visit The Sanctuary, which will organise daily meditation sessions, yoga classes and workshops to enhance your spiritual and general well-being. And those looking to indulge in a cosy camping experience may consider the festival’s four tiers of Lux Camping options, featuring “all inclusive” packages stacked with astonishing perks. Think fully furnished deluxe tents, priority entry, complimentary meals and even a butler.

Last but not least, the music

And of course, the star attraction: At Beyond The Valley, there is no shortage of fantastic musical acts to keep you grooving into the new year. This line-up has something for everyone: hear fiery rhymes from Jesswar and JK-47, chilled house beats from Sofia Kourtesis, genre-bending alt-pop jams from Remi Wolf, and soulful vocals from Budjerah. And finally, there’s versatile hitmaker Nelly Furtado, whose exclusive Australian appearance at the festival is guaranteed to have everyone body-rolling to ‘Promiscuous’ or belting ‘I’m Like A Bird’ at the top of their lungs.

Ring in the new year at Beyond The Valley, which takes place at the Barunah Plains in Hesse, Victoria between December 28, 2022 and January 1, 2023. Get your tickets here.

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