The Cohuna Kangas hosted the inaugural Cohuna Home Ground Sounds music festival at Cohuna Recreation Reserve on Sunday and it was a big success.
Gates opened at 2pm and the first performer of the day was Zak Armstrong, hailing from the Hawkesbury region of NSW, said he was getting excited about performing.
“It’s a super cool set up and everyone has been super cool,” he said.
“Playing before some of my idols is really super cool as well.”
Although there were a thousand people enjoying the music at the ground, which has a capacity of 60,000, it looked sparsely populated as concert goers took advantage of the space and spread out around the grounds.
Organisers joked that they could bring Brittany Spears into a ground the size of the Recreation Reserve.
President of the Cohuna Kangas Football Netball Club, Wade Mathers, said that the festival came about in a roundabout way with a range of mutual contacts from people in the club who knew each other through the business world.
“The organisers contacted us and asked if we would be interested in doing a concert and I said why not,.Lets do it,” Mr Mathers said.
“There are visitors who are here from Sydney, the Gold Coast and Adelaide.
“We are looking forward to progressing and going bigger and better next year.”
Special guest artist, Shannon Noll, was a surprise bonus for the festival goers as he performed with his Australian Idol compatriot Rob Mills.
Staying in Swan Hill after performing at the Swan Hill Food and Wine Festival, on Saturday night, he made the trip to Cohuna to team up with Rob Mills for the first time in 20 years.
“I’m just here supporting the boys. Millsy is having a bit of trouble with his voice, which happens when you’re a singer,” Shannon said.
“It’s like helping a little brother out.”
“This is the first time I have been here, in Cohuna, I love this part of the country so it’s wonderful to be down here.”
Rob Mills or Millsy, as he is affectionately known, has been undertaking a Bon Jovi show to celebrate 40 years of the super group and 20 years of his career since Australian Idol.
“I’m pretty wrapped to have my mate Shannon Noll jump up with me tonight. We haven’t been on stage together since we did the tour (Australian Idol Tour),” Milssy said.
“We are always gigging but never together, so it is great to have him here tonight.
“I have been doing musicals for the last 15 years so, I am wrapped to be back on stage, to be back rockin’ out.”
The Wolfe brothers, the Tasmanian raspberry farmers better known for their musical chops, having six Golden Guitars under their belt, making them the most awarded country rock duo ever in Australia, finished the night with a 90 minute set.
Nick Wolfe took to the stage wearing a Cohuna Kangas jersey that was presented to him by the Club to the great delight of the locals.
See all the pictures from the event in the issue.
This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 13 March 2025.
