A date and the headline acts for the concert have not yet been revealed, as plans for the concert are in their infancy, but Rochester Recreation Reserve will host the event.
The intention was for the event to take place in the first half of 2023, but early indications are that Rochester’s concert may be in the second half of the year due to the number of residents still living away from their homes.
A series of live music events was kick-started in Shepparton last year with the Emerge flood relief concert, following in the footsteps of a Lismore flood relief concert in northern NSW.
Corowa RSL Club staged a Uniting Our Communities Flood Relief Concert, which was headlined by Australian music icons Eskimo Joe and Daryl Braithwaite.
Ticket sales from the Corowa event raised in excess of $50,000, which was directed back into the community.
The Victorian Government has allocated $1 million to the program, with Rochester now locked in among the venues for the concerts.
The program will support the delivery of a minimum of 10 events, ranging in scale from small gigs in pubs featuring local artists, to large-scale festivals.
Music Victoria’s portion of the total pool of funding will be dedicated to live music events in flood-impacted areas, while there is also funding for events designed with and for the local community, with broad appeal, catering to a diverse range of audiences.
Whether the Rochester event is a free or paid event has not been decided.
The preference is for events to be produced by local venues, producers or operators, with Music Victoria available to advise or connect with event specialists.
Depending on the size and scope of the event, funding of up to $40,000 is available.
The funding is not designed to provide direct relief for flood damage, loss of property, goods or income, and will not assist with building and infrastructure costs, general business costs, musical instruments or recording costs.
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