Festival Information

Ticket Information

PURCHASING TICKETS

BOOK ONLINE

castlemainefestival.com.au

IN PERSON
Visit the Festival Information Hub at the Castlemaine Market Building, 44 Mostyn Street, Castlemaine

Friday 20 & 27 February, 6 & 13 March, 2026, 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM

During the Festival:
Friday 20 to Saturday 28 March, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

BY PHONE
Telephone 5472 5123

Please have your credit card details ready.
Staffed during Festival Information Hub hours detailed above.

AT THE VENUE

Venue Box Offices will be open 45 minutes prior at all other venues.

BOOKING INFORMATION

Concession
Includes Children, 18 years and under, Pensioners, Health Care Card holders and Full-Time Students. Relevant identification must be presented upon request.

Refunds
There are no refunds on ticket purchases.

Latecomers
Will not be admitted until a suitable break in the performance.

Gift Vouchers
Available for purchase and may be used for any Castlemaine State Festival event with ticket availability. Unredeemed vouchers will expire on Sunday 29 March and cannot be refunded.

Discounts
A 10% discount applies for purchases of 3 or more individual events.

Babes in Arms
For most events, children under 24 months old may attend free of charge on the condition they do not occupy a seat and they sit on the lap of a parent or guardian.

Accommodation

ACCOMMODATION

The Castlemaine Visitor Information Centre offers a free accommodation service providing knowledgeable advice for your specific accommodation needs.

Castlemaine Visitor Information Centre
Market Building, 44 Mostyn Street, Castlemaine
Phone: 03 5471 1795 or toll free 1800 171 888

castlemainemaldon.com.au
visitors@mountalexander.vic.gov.au

BIG4 Castlemaine Gardens Holiday Park

Close to the Festival buzz but surrounded by nature, BIG4 Castlemaine offers contemporary self contained studios and villas, luxury glamping accommodation and picturesque camping sites. The park’s location next to the Castlemaine Botanical Gardens and Flora and Fauna Reserve ensures serene views and a scenic retreat just minutes from the town centre.

https://www.big4.com.au/caravan-parks/vic/goldfields/castlemaine-gardens-holiday-park

Camping

If you feel like connecting with nature as part of your larger Festival experience, there are a range of free nature-park camping sites nearby.

Camping is available at Vaughan Mineral Springs, Leanganook and Butts Reserve.

Sites to visit:

https://www.goldfieldsguide.com.au/

https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/where-to-stay/camping

Drink & Dine

DRINK & DINE

You can enjoy drink & dine experiences at wonderful local eateries and watering holes before or after performances.

The Castlemaine Visitor Information Centre can provide knowledgeable advice for all your dining needs.

CASTLEMAINE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE
Market Building, 44 Mostyn Street, Castlemaine
Phone: 03 5471 1795 or toll free 1800 171 888

castlemainemaldon.com.au
visitors@mountalexander.vic.gov.au

Transport

transport

DRIVING

Castlemaine is approximately 120 kms north-west of Melbourne, or a 90-minute drive via the Tullamarine Freeway, following the signs to Bendigo and the Calder Freeway.

TRAIN TRAVEL

Castlemaine Railway Station is centrally located and train travel is an easy and pleasurable 1.5 hour journey from Melbourne. V/Line trains run between Melbourne’s Southern Cross Station along the Bendigo line to Castlemaine, departing regularly from 6.00am to 11:55pm.

For timetables and fares, visit www.vline.com.au

GETTING AROUND CASTLEMAINE

WALKING

A range of walking maps, including natural and cultural heritage walks in Castlemaine and surrounding areas, are available from the Visitor Information Centre in the Castlemaine Market Building, Mostyn Street.

For downloadable walking maps, castlemainemaldon.com.au

BUSES

There are local buses servicing Castlemaine, Chewton, Campbells Creek, Maldon and Harcourt. For service schedules visit www.travelvictoria.com.au/castlemaine/transport/

TAXI

Castlemaine Taxis can be contacted on 131 008.

Venue Locations and Maps

Hargraves Street Precinct	Cnr Forest, Mostyn and Hargraves Streets, Castlemaine, VIC 3450
Theatre Royal	30 Hargraves Steet, Castlemaine VIC 3450
IGA Underground Carpark	11 Hargraves Street, Castlemaine VIC 3450
Romeril House, Walmer	30 Church Street, Chewton VIC 3451
Maldon Progress Hall	6 Francis Street, Maldon VIC 3463
Castlemaine Market Building	44 Mostyn Street, Castlemaine VIC 3450
Chewton Town Hall	141 Main Road, Chewton VIC 3451
Portal Gallery House	123 Mostyn Street, Castlemaine VIC 3450
Thompson Family Funeral	123 Mostyn Street, Castlemaine VIC 3450
Castlemaine Art Museum	14 Lyttleton Street, Castlemaine VIC 3450
Punctum ICU Basement	53/1 Halford Street, Castlemaine VIC 3450
St Mary’s Hall	57/31 Lyttleton Street, Castlemaine VIC 3450
St Mary’s Church	1/78 Hargraves Street, Castlemaine VIC 3450
Castlemaine Town Hall	25 Lyttleton Street, Castlemaine VIC 3450
Uniting Church, Castlemaine	24 Lyttleton Street, Castlemaine VIC 3450
Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Maldon	50 High Street, Maldon VIC 3463
Anglican Church, Castlemaine	8 Mostyn Street, Castlemaine Vic 3450
Phee Broadway Theatre	212 Barker Street, Castlemaine VIC 3450
Castlemaine Goods Shed	21 Kennedy Street, Castlemaine VIC 3450

Venue Accessibility

Accessibility

Castlemaine State Festival aims to make venues and events accessible to those with limited mobility.

Wheelchair access at each venue is identified by the accessibility symbol on individual program event pages.

Please contact the Festival and Box Office staff on 03 5472 5123 to ensure you secure tickets relevant to your access requirements, including any Companion Card bookings.

Program Details

Every effort has been made to ensure program details are correct, however, events may be subject to change and every effort will be made to notify patrons.

Our Patrons

PATRONS & DONORS

The Festival wishes to sincerely thank the many individuals and organisations for their generosity and valuable contributions.

The full list of our Patrons & Donors will be available in January.

About us

about the Castlemaine State Festival

Castlemaine, located on Djaara Country in the central highlands of Victoria, is home to more creative industries residents than any other local government region in Australia.

For nearly 50 years the Castlemaine State Festival, inspired by the distinctive places and landscapes of the region, has harnessed this creative energy to present adventurous art in its historic and intimate spaces.

A Festival like no other in Australia, its multi-arts program brings together authentic cultural experiences where audiences are enchanted by the craft, imagination and depth of the work presented.

Established in 1976, the Festival celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026 – and is planning a party like no other!

The 2026 Castlemaine State Festival will be held from 20-29 March 2026.

Our Sponsors

Sponsors & Partners

Government

Foundations

Major Sponsors

Event Sponsors

Major Gifts

Christie Nixon APM

Geoff & Lorraine Callister

Marshall Segan & Ylana Perlov

McClure Family

Robyn Lewis

Water Dragon Endowment

Media Partners

Product Supporters

Boomtown

Hand Picked Flowers

Fazioli

Mafic Wines

Festival Team & Board

FESTIVAL BOARD

Chair – Gary McClure
Chair – Chris Capper (until March 2025)
Secretary – Kelly Read
Treasurer – Grant Thomas
Treasurer – John Curruthers (until March 2025)

Chris Capper (until October 2025)
Jane Goodrich
Abby McClure
Nicola Reynolds
Jenny Ryssenbeek (until July 2025)
Marshall Segan
Luke Stokes
Brian Walters
John Wellington

FESTIVAL TEAM

Artistic Director – Linda Sproul

Executive Director – Martin Paten

Administration & Finance – Bronwyn Dawson / Sarah Jury

Administration Support – Lorrainne Callister, Kerry Parker, Kerrie West, Trish Sharkey,

Art & Design Coordinator – Zoe Amor

Classical Music Advisor – Marshall McGuire

Digital Development – Gayle McClure (until October 2025)

Goods Shed Project Manager – Joseph Rogan

Marketing Coordinator – Caitlin Reilly, In Cahoots

Operations Coordinator – Bonnie Sowman

Outdoor Events Producer – Sam Thomas

Patrons Coordinator – Van Victor-Gordon

Photography Management – Julie Millowick

Program Design & Artwork Identity – Design by Committee

Production Coordinator – Calum McClure

Publicity & Media – Adam Valentine

Schools Program Coordinator – Margot Feast

Box Office Coordinator – Danica Hilton

Volunteers Coordinator – Lyndal McClure

Web Design & Management – Greengraphics

Box Office Coordinator – TBC

Thank You

Peter & Wendy Brown

Life Members

The Castlemaine State Festival celebrates its life members. Their commitment to supporting the development and evolution of the Festival has been central to its ongoing success.

Founding Patrons – The Late Berek Segan AM OBE & The Late Marysia Segan

Michael Bottomley
Phee Broadway OAM
Geoff Callister
Lorrainne Callister
Mary Harris
Geoff Hocking
Gary McClure
Lyndal McClure
Martin Paten
The Late Ian O’Halloran OAM
Val Victor Gordon

Castlemaine Goods Shed

Built to store rail freight in the 1860’s the Castlemaine is a Victorian-era building now the home to the Castlemaine state Festival.

In 2025 the Goods Shed underwent further refurbishments to revitalise the building.

From April 2026 the Goods Shed will be available for one-off and regular events, activities and performances. In the run up to the Festival it will become a creative production hub and be used by local artists who are developing works for the 2026 Festival.

Please contact information@castlemainefestival.com.au for booking enquiries.

Castlemaine Goods Shed
21 Kennedy St,
Castlemaine Vic 3450
Email: information@castlemainefestival.com.au
Phone: +61 3 5472 3733
PO Box 230, Castlemaine VIC 3450

Castlemaine State Festival Ltd
ACN 005 488 684
ABN 68 005 488 684