Longwood was the word, announcing the town as one of the official winners of her competition concerts across the country.
Before Longwood, only Ingham and Wollongong had been named, making Longwood the third town set to host her full band and choir.
Bree Mackrell from Strathbogie created the Facebook page ‘Bring Tones And I to Longwood’, joining a long list of regional towns and cities all campaigning for a chance.
However, although the town’s name has been announced, no-one has yet heard from the singer or her team with the official details.
“Seeing the word ‘Longwood’ on her page on Saturday afternoon was a mix of excitement, disbelief and cautious optimism,” Bree said.
“Given the context of her competition and the way she encouraged towns to campaign, the community understandably took that as a win, but at this stage though, we’re still waiting to hear directly from her team to confirm details.
“It felt huge, but we’re very aware nothing is official until we hear from her team.”
According to Bree, the community’s reaction has been incredibly emotional, with excitement and hope offering a moment of light after a very dark few weeks.
While there has not yet been direct contact from Tones And I or her management team, the people of Longwood and surrounding towns remain hopeful.
“After the fires, many people were exhausted and running on adrenaline,” she said.
“This has given people something to focus on — a sense that our community, and what it’s been through, has been seen.
“This will give people a chance to breathe, to feel joy again, and to come together without talking about fire, loss or recovery — even just for one night.”
The Longwood football ground has been suggested as a possible venue because it’s a central, familiar community space, but Bree said any decision would need to involve the Tones And I team, Strathbogie Shire Council and emergency services to ensure the event was safe and appropriate.
Support from volunteers, local businesses, accommodation providers, transport services and the wider community would be essential to make the event not only possible, but safe and inclusive for everyone.
Bree acknowledged the challenges but said rural communities were used to stepping up when needed, and with proper planning, the event was achievable.
However, there are concerns that some of the people who need this night the most may miss out on tickets.
“We’ve already seen with other concerts how quickly tickets can disappear — sometimes in seconds,” Bree said.
“After what people have been through, I don’t want anyone missing out simply because tickets sell out so fast.
“Ideally, I’d love to see bus loads of people brought in from the furthest-affected towns, so distance or transport isn’t a barrier.”
As Longwood awaits official confirmation, the excitement and support from far and wide have been impossible to miss.
And the backing for a small town has been hugely appreciated.
“Thank you to everyone for supporting a small town and for showing how powerful community spirit really is,” Bree said.
“To hold this event in Longwood would feel like a turning point — a sign that while the fires changed us, they didn’t define us.”
For more information, follow the ‘Bring Tones And I to Longwood’ Facebook page and The News website and app.
We’ll keep readers updated as further details come through.
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