Ever been to a music festival at a mansion as big as a castle? How about a family-friendly one at that?
Held in the magical landscape of Werribee Park, the Lost Lands Festival provides your standard music festival hype, camp-outs and stellar line-up, but with families in mind. Think kooky, kid-friendly fun in a stress-free festival atmosphere.
The Werribee Mansion grounds make for a magical festival location Credit: The Lost Lands
This year’s Lost Lands festival runs from November 1st to 3rd in the fairytale gardens of Werribee Mansion. Tickets are already on sale for music, theatre, comedy, workshops, installation art and family camping.
Aussie hip-hop star Baker Boy, who recently made his Playschool debut, will appear on the main stage. You can also expect appearances from Circus Oz and Regurgitator’s Pogogo show. Join in the bedsheet ghost party, family yoga, cardboard jungle, kids’ karaoke, dances of the world and child-led face painting.
Pit grown-ups against littlies in old school games of sack racing, egg-and-spoon racing, skipping and pillow fights. The nail-biting climax is undoubtedly The Lost Lands derby, which may or may not involve intense piggyback racing. Kids, choose your horses wisely.
Giddy-up! Competition heats up on the lawns Credit: The Lost Lands
Refuel with scrumptious munchies from an array of vendors selling crepes, coffee, BBQ, burgers, ice-cream, tacos and more. And when you’re ready for some down time, peruse quirky market stalls selling anything from jewellery, toys and vintage clothes to henna body art.
Of course, you can buy a single day pass. But a huge chunk of the fun comes with sleeping out, perhaps lulled to dreamland by late night jazz. Choose a 2- or 3-day camping pass, with the flexible option of leaving whenever you need. Showers, toilets, baby room and drinking water are all provided onsite. Campgrounds open at 3pm on Friday 1st November and close at 2pm on Monday 4th. You can park alongside your site, but if you want to camp beside friends, you’ll need to arrive together.
Park beside your tent in the Lost Lands campground Credit: The Lost Lands
Bring your own gear, or opt for a Rent-a-Tent pre-pitched tent for up to 6 people. Luxe-lovers can glamp it out in a lushly furnished bell tent complete with personal concierge. Or take it up another notch and book directly with Werribee Park Mansion 5-star hotel. All music events will end by 9pm, so you can be sure of quality shut-eye if you stay on site. If you listen carefully, you might hear sounds of your nocturnal neighbours from next-door Werribee Zoo.
Get your dance moves ready Credit: The Lost Lands
The Lost Lands Festival was conceived by husband and wife duo Simon and Mella, who wanted families to be able to gather to camp and be creative. The festival grounds of Werribee Mansion lie 40 minutes’ drive from Melbourne CBD. Werribee station is 6km away from the mansion. Services run to and from the station every 30 minutes.
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Sophie is a die-hard pasta lover, beach-goer and theatre fanatic hit hard with the travel bug. When exploring new places, Sophie loves straying from the beaten path and chatting with locals about the best places to grab a bite to eat.