Ipswich solidifies reputation as state's home of country music
21 March 2023
Ipswich has solidified its reputation as the home of country music in Queensland after another successful CMC Rocks QLD.
The sold-out country music festival is the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere, boosting the Ipswich economy by an estimated $11 million each year.
Mayor Teresa Harding said Ipswich had well and truly established itself as the home of country music in Queensland.
“CMC Rocks QLD attracted over 23,000 visitors each day from all over the country and abroad to our wonderful city over the weekend, giving our city a huge boost socially and economically,” Mayor Harding said.
“We were proud to welcome some of the biggest names in country music to Ipswich, from the Grammy-award winning Zac Brown Band to Morgan Wallen and Kip Moore.
“Every year CMC Rocks gets bigger and better in Ipswich, generating $2.76 million in visitor expenditure in 2015 and growing to more than $11 million in current years. This is money that is being spent across several industries and many local businesses.
“It’s an excellent opportunity to showcase our city through market stalls that include local businesses, food vendors, a beauty bar, line dancing classes, camping and multiple stages offering live acts over three days.”
Economic and Industry Development Committee Chairperson Councillor Nicole Jonic said the council was proud to sponsor the event, which was a boost for local tourism.
“CMC Rocks continues to grow with ticket sales this year topping 23,000, compared to 22,000 in 2022, and importantly for our local economy, 90 per cent of ticket buyers are from outside of Ipswich,” Cr Jonic said.
“Each CMC Rocks event contributes around $11 million to the Ipswich economy, with people staying in our hotels and spending at our cafes and restaurants.
“This is the southern hemisphere’s largest international country music festival and it generates more than 61,000 visitor nights in Ipswich attracting about 19,000 visitors to Ipswich.
“We would like to extend the welcome mat for those visiting CMC Rocks QLD to once again extend their stay in Ipswich, support our local tourism operators, hospitality industry and to further discover the beautiful Ipswich region.”
This event is supported by Ipswich City Council, Tourism and Events Queensland and features in the It’s Live! schedule of significant events.