Radio Woodfordia

A Cornucopia of Inspiration — with Large Mirage

"It's a concentrated fantasy, this whole place." — Large Mirage They'd never been to Woodford Folk Festival before. You wouldn't have known it. AJ, Bailey and Blake of Large Mirage arrived at their first Woodford — first time as a band, first time as human beings — and immediately looked like they belonged. Within five minutes of their first set, the Pineapple Lounge was heaving. The second night was better still. And somehow, between all of it, they still had time to pull up chairs at a campsite bluegrass session and call it a private gig. Harley Breen sits down with three quarters of Large Mirage for a conversation that moves at the pace of one of their extended instrumental jams — warm, a little unpredictable, and genuinely fun. They talk about what psych rock actually means when you're the one playing it, why the genre label is both accurate and completely insufficient, and how AJ ended up in the band after being spotted at a lawn bowls club gig by a man in double denim. They talk about the band name — born from two bandmates both seeing the same thing on an airport tarmac, and a rhyme that only works in an Australian accent. And they talk about what it means to fly to New South Wales on New Year's Eve afternoon to play a show, then fly back to Woodford to play Bluestown stage at 1am. Stretching. Eating well. Drinking water before the set. Rock and roll has changed. This episode is for: * Anyone who has walked into a tent at Woodford not knowing what was playing and ended up having the best time * People who believe the best bands are the ones that can't quite be contained by their own genre label * Anyone who has ever dramatically underestimated how heavy a Hammond organ is * Dive in to hear about: * What psych rock actually sounds like from the inside — extended jams, organ solos, Texas shuffles, and a sound that wears many hats * The lawn bowls club gig, the double denim, and the very random encounter that brought AJ into the band * Why "Large Mirage" only rhymes if you're Australian — and the airport tarmac moment that started it all * The New Year's Eve schedule that has them flying to a Central Coast show and back to a 1am Bluestown set at Woodford * Key topics: Large Mirage, psychedelic rock, Woodford Folk Festival, live music, Australian independent music, Hammond organ, festival culture To come to the Woodford Folk Festival this year visit: https://woodfordfolkfestival.com/ [https://woodfordfolkfestival.com/] FOR MORE: Harley Breen: https://www.harleybreen.com.au [https://www.harleybreen.com.au] Large Mirage: https://largemirage.com/ [https://largemirage.com/] https://www.instagram.com/largemirage/ [https://www.instagram.com/largemirage/] https://www.tiktok.com/@largemirage [https://www.tiktok.com/@largemirage]  CREDITS: Host: Harley Breen | Guests: AJ Stanton, Blake Rochester and Bailey Brown of Large Mirage | Executive Producer: Benny Wallington | Producers: Georgia Shaw, Amelie Barham, Benjamin ‘Tofty’ Toft, Bree Hickson-Jamieson | Video Editing: Nick Haddow | Music by: The East Pointers | Recorded on Jinibara Country  Recorded December 2025 #RadioWoodfordia #LargeMirage #HarleyBreen #WoodfordFolkFestival #Woodfordia #PsychRock #AustralianMusic #IndieMusic #LiveMusic #FolkFestival #Podcast #RockAndRoll Join the Woodfordian Citizens: Perks - - Bi-Monthly emails sharing the ins and outs of the world of Woodfordia and the people who keep the heart beating. - Special invites to special events on site at Woodfordia. Super special. - Bonus podcast content - Early early bird access to Woodford Folk Festival tickets - Early access to workshop bookings at Woodford Folk Festival Visit: woodfordia.org/woodfordia/become-a-citizen More information at www.woodfordia.org For the festival: www.woodfordfolkfestival.com For Harley: https://www.harleybreen.com.au/ Credits: Host: Harley Breen Executive Producers: Bree Hickson-Jamieson, Josh Weier, Benny Wallington Audio mastering: Kieron Atkinson Music by: The East Pointers ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

From the Crowd to Playing the Pineapple Lounge – with Tjaka

"For us being at Woodford from an early age, seeing so many shows — you walk into a tent and you just start dancing. That's the feeling we try to put into our shows, because we know how great that feels." — Tjaka Geoff, Jake and Felix of Tjaka know exactly what a Woodford crowd feels like. They've been standing in one since they were kids. In 2024, they found out what it looks like from the other side. They are, in the truest sense, Woodford babies — kids who watched their dad perform on the Grande and the Amphitheatre stages, who spent years in the crowd absorbing everything from eight-piece jazz funk bands to carrot flutes before they ever set foot on a Woodford stage themselves. In 2024, that changed. Tjaka played four shows, including New Year's Eve just after the countdown, and the crowd went exactly as wild as they always knew it would. Harley Breen sits down with the three of them for a conversation that's as warm and chaotic as a Tjaka set. They talk about how a dislocated elbow, a radio show, and a very long friendship between families became a band. About touring Taiwan, playing The Great Escape in the UK, and still stacking yoghurt in the dairy aisle twenty-four hours after a sold-out show. About the Didjeribone — Charlie McMahon's slide didgeridoo invention, made from PVC pipe, capable of ten keys in one, and apparently a serious conversation starter with airport security. And they talk about what Woodford actually does to musicians who've grown up inside it: how the diversity, the energy, and the sheer what-the-hell-is-this-and-why-do-I-love-it magic of the festival becomes a philosophy of performance. This episode is for: * Anyone who has stood in a tent at Woodford and had their mind completely changed by something they never would have chosen * People who believe the best artists are the ones who grew up loving live music first * Anyone who wants to hear a slide didgeridoo improvised live in a podcast studio Dive in to hear about: * The Didjeribone — Charlie McMahon's slide didgeridoo invention, how it works, why it's perfect carry-on luggage, and the airport security performances it keeps generating * What happens when your own band is recommended to you by a stranger in a beer queue * The gap between "we're going on a national tour" and "I am stacking yoghurt in a supermarket right now" — and why Felix thinks he's already won anyway * How a dislocated elbow, a missed psychology exam, and a lifelong friendship became the origin story of Tjaka * Why Woodford crowds hit differently when you've spent your whole life in them To come to the Woodford Folk Festival this year visit: https://woodfordfolkfestival.com/ [https://woodfordfolkfestival.com/] FOR MORE: Harley Breen: https://www.harleybreen.com.au [https://www.harleybreen.com.au] Tjaka: https://tjaka.bandcamp.com/music [https://tjaka.bandcamp.com/music]  Charlie McMahon, and the Didjeribone: https://www.charliemcmahon.com/ [https://www.charliemcmahon.com/] https://didjeribone.com/ [https://didjeribone.com/]  CREDITS: Host: Harley Breen | Guests: Geoff Fabila, Jake Fabila and Felix Fogarty of Tjaka | Executive Producer: Benny Wallington | Producers: Cameron Scurrah, Georgia Shaw, Amelie Barham, Bree Hickson-Jamieson | Sound Editing: Keiron Atkinson | Video Editing: Nick Haddow | Music by: The East Pointers | Recorded on Jinibara Country Key topics: Tjaka band, Woodford Folk Festival performers, Didjeribone, Charlie McMahon, contemporary First Nations music, independent music careers, live performance culture #RadioWoodfordia #Tjaka #HarleyBreen #WoodfordFolkFestival #Woodfordia #Didjeribone #CharlieMcMahon #FirstNationsMusic #AustralianMusic #IndieMusic #FolkFestival #LiveMusic #Podcast #WoodfordBabies Join the Woodfordian Citizens: Perks - - Bi-Monthly emails sharing the ins and outs of the world of Woodfordia and the people who keep the heart beating. - Special invites to special events on site at Woodfordia. Super special. - Bonus podcast content - Early early bird access to Woodford Folk Festival tickets - Early access to workshop bookings at Woodford Folk Festival Visit: woodfordia.org/woodfordia/become-a-citizen More information at www.woodfordia.org For the festival: www.woodfordfolkfestival.com For Harley: https://www.harleybreen.com.au/ Credits: Host: Harley Breen Executive Producers: Bree Hickson-Jamieson, Josh Weier, Benny Wallington Audio mastering: Kieron Atkinson Music by: The East Pointers ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

A Million Litres and Counting

"The wastewater doesn't lie." You've walked past it a hundred times without knowing it's there. Beneath the stages, the food stalls, and the dusty paths of Woodford Folk Festival runs more than 50 kilometres of sewers — and a treatment system so sophisticated it's now a cover story in American engineering magazines and a blueprint for festivals around the world. Harley Breen sits down with Ben Kele, the quietly hilarious wastewater engineer who has been running Woodfordia's decentralised water system for the past 16 years. What begins as a conversation about poo quickly becomes something much bigger: a story about world-leading science, practical environmentalism, and what it looks like when a festival takes its responsibilities to the land seriously. Ben explains how Woodford processes up to a million litres of wastewater a day during the festival — every drop treated on site, with not a single litre trucked in or out. He talks about the unique challenge of a system that swings from 15,000 litres on a quiet construction day to a million litres on the 27th of December, what the water chemistry reveals about who's on site and what they've been drinking, and how a small research project that started right here at Woodford became the foundation for Australia's national pharmaceutical wastewater tracking program — now used by public health agencies and federal law enforcement nationwide. He also tells the story of his brother Andrew, a flannel dressing gown, a dozen flushed bras, and a very unfortunate encounter with Chris Martin. This episode is for: * Anyone who's ever wondered what actually happens when 130,000 people flush * People who believe the most interesting infrastructure is the kind you never see * Anyone who finds genuine joy in a person who is brilliant at something the rest of us would rather not think about Dive in to hear about: * How Woodfordia became the unlikely birthplace of Australia's national drug-detection-via-wastewater program — and the AFP funding that got it started * What the water chemistry difference is between a Woodford Folk Festival crowd and other music festival crowds — and what it says about what people choose to drink * Why composting toilets work brilliantly in Tasmania and terribly in a Queensland summer, and the fly hatching cycle that explains everything * The story of Andrew the bog monster, a flannel dressing gown, a dozen flushed bras, and a very famous rock star who witnessed the whole thing from a stretch limousine To come to the Woodford Folk Festival this year visit: https://woodfordfolkfestival.com/ [https://woodfordfolkfestival.com/] FOR MORE:  Harley Breen: https://www.harleybreen.com.au [https://www.harleybreen.com.au]  Ben Kele and Arris Water: Woodford Folk Festival Water System — Arris Water Case Study: https://www.arris.com.au/water/water-projects/queensland-folk-federation-qld/ [https://www.arris.com.au/water/water-projects/queensland-folk-federation-qld/] Woodford Folk Festival feature — The Onsite Journal, Summer 2024: https://www.nowra.org/Customer-Content/www/news/PDFs/Onsite_Journal_Summer_2024_Online.pdf [https://www.nowra.org/Customer-Content/www/news/PDFs/Onsite_Journal_Summer_2024_Online.pdf] CREDITS: Host: Harley Breen | Guest: Ben Kele | Executive Producer: Benny Wallington | Producers: Cameron Scurrah, Bree Hickson-Jamieson | Sound Editing: Keiron Atkinson | Video Editing: Nick Haddow | Music by: The East Pointers | Recorded on Jinibara Country #RadioWoodfordia #BenKeele #HarleyBreen #WoodfordFolkFestival #Woodfordia #WastewaterManagement #Sustainability #Environment #MusicFestivals #FestivalLife #Podcast #WaterScience Key topics: Decentralized water systems for festivals Innovative wastewater treatment techniques Research and monitoring of pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs in wastewater Join the Woodfordian Citizens: Perks - - Bi-Monthly emails sharing the ins and outs of the world of Woodfordia and the people who keep the heart beating. - Special invites to special events on site at Woodfordia. Super special. - Bonus podcast content - Early early bird access to Woodford Folk Festival tickets - Early access to workshop bookings at Woodford Folk Festival Visit: woodfordia.org/woodfordia/become-a-citizen More information at www.woodfordia.org For the festival: www.woodfordfolkfestival.com For Harley: https://www.harleybreen.com.au/ Credits: Host: Harley Breen Executive Producers: Bree Hickson-Jamieson, Josh Weier, Benny Wallington Audio mastering: Kieron Atkinson Music by: The East Pointers ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Welcome at My Fire Anytime

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners please be aware this episode contains references to a deceased person. "The spirit of the old storytellers and the people who were protesters is not dead. It's alive and well in the next generation." Recorded ahead of his appearance at The Planting Festival in May, this conversation between Harley Breen and Troy Cassar-Daley is exactly the kind of yarn Radio Woodfordia was made for. Troy is calling in from his childhood home on Gumbaynggirr Country near Coffs Harbour, where he's been on a quiet sabbatical — renovating sheds, working with reclaimed timber, reconnecting with family, and slowly starting to write songs again. What unfolds is a wide-ranging, deeply warm conversation about what it means to come home — to country, to community, to the things that restore you. Troy talks about the campfire tradition he and his cousins hold each year on country, the song Shadows on the Hill and the story behind it, his daughter Jem's first year on the road, and why he thinks the kids from Tamworth he visits each December need to come to Woodford. He also has something to say to the person who wondered why a country music artist would be booked at a folk festival. This episode is for: * Anyone who finds peace working with their hands * People who believe storytelling isn't a genre — it's a way of being * Anyone who has ever felt restored by going back to the place that made them Dive in to hear about: * The campfire tradition that started with grief and became something vital * Why Troy thinks telling stories and singing songs has nothing to do with genre * Jem Cassar-Daley's first year on the road with Troy — 82 shows, one red eye flight, and a moment that made Troy certain she was built for it To come to The Planting Festival visit: https://theplanting.com.au/ [https://theplanting.com.au/] To come to the Woodford Folk Festival and FWOD next year visit: https://woodfordfolkfestival.com/ [https://woodfordfolkfestival.com/] FOR MORE: Troy Cassar-Daley: https://www.troycassardaley.com.au [https://www.troycassardaley.com.au] Harley Breen: https://www.harleybreen.com.au [https://www.harleybreen.com.au] CREDITS: Host: Harley Breen Guest: Troy Cassar-Daley Executive Producer: Bree Hickson-Jamieson Producers: Josh Weier, Bree Hickson-Jamieson Music by: The East Pointers Recorded on Jinibara Country #RadioWoodfordia #TroyCassarDaley #HarleyBreen #WoodfordFolkFestival #ThePlanting #Woodfordia #Storytelling #FolkMusic #CountryMusic #Podcast #FirstNations #FirstNationsMusic Join the Woodfordian Citizens: Perks - - Bi-Monthly emails sharing the ins and outs of the world of Woodfordia and the people who keep the heart beating. - Special invites to special events on site at Woodfordia. Super special. - Bonus podcast content - Early early bird access to Woodford Folk Festival tickets - Early access to workshop bookings at Woodford Folk Festival Visit: woodfordia.org/woodfordia/become-a-citizen More information at www.woodfordia.org For the festival: www.woodfordfolkfestival.com For Harley: https://www.harleybreen.com.au/ Credits: Host: Harley Breen Executive Producers: Bree Hickson-Jamieson, Josh Weier, Benny Wallington Audio mastering: Kieron Atkinson Music by: The East Pointers ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

First Wine of the Day 6 featuring Frank and Louis, Shad Wicka, Holly Austin, and Thea Newton

"It's either your first Woodford or your hundredth Woodford. I think that’s how it works." This episode was recorded live from the Woodford Folk Festival as part of First Wine of the Day. It's New Year's Day, the final show, and the ironed-on Woodfordians are the only ones left standing. Harley missed the three minutes of silence after “overestimating his New Year’s Eve resilience.” Nikki spent hers at the pond thinking about her dog. Bars manager Linus turns up running on fumes but still manages to school everyone on Sauvignon Blanc. Business as usual. The astrologer said we're heading into seven of the greatest years ever to unfold on planet Earth. The Forest of Goodwill campaign is well underway, with the community steadily working toward its 5.7 million dollar goal. And somewhere under the AmphiGrande sign, there may or may not be buried treasure — courtesy of comedian Shad Wicka, who also reads the most heartfelt, hilarious love letter to Woodford you'll hear all year. Thea Newton pulls back the curtain on the Great Band Competition — 68 musicians, 15 randomly assembled bands, 24 hours to make something extraordinary. Holly Austin makes a live pitch for Kite Choir, an international peace project involving 200 kites, children's voices from around the world, and a sky full of sound. And Sunshine Coast brothers Frank and Louis, aged 17 and 19, close out the entire series with a song that makes Harley wish his kids were watching. This episode is for: * Anyone who's ever been converted to something they didn't think they wanted to go to * People who believe the world is about to get a lot better — cosmically speaking * Anyone who knows that the last day of a festival belongs to a very special kind of human Dive in to hear about: * Shad Wicka's letter to Woodford — from cult sceptic to true believer in five days * What Puglia, Italy has in common with the whole of Australia — a wine fact that will surprise you * How 68 strangers became 15 bands in 24 hours at the Great Band Competition To come to the Woodford Folk Festival and FWOD next year visit: https://woodfordfolkfestival.com/ [https://woodfordfolkfestival.com/] FOR MORE: Frank & Louis: https://www.instagram.com/frankandlouismusic [https://www.instagram.com/frankandlouismusic] Holly Austin: https://www.kitechoir.comhttps://www.hollyaustin.net [https://www.hollyaustin.net/] Shad Wicka: https://www.instagram.com/wickedshad [https://www.instagram.com/wickedshad] Harley Breen: https://www.harleybreen.com.au [https://www.harleybreen.com.au] Nikki Britton: https://www.instagram.com/thenikkibritton [https://www.instagram.com/thenikkibritton] A Forest of Goodwill: https://aforestofgoodwill.woodfordia.com [https://aforestofgoodwill.woodfordia.com] CREDITS: Hosts: Harley Breen, Nikki Britton Guests: Shad Wicka, Thea Newton, Holly Austin, Frank & Louis, Linus Wilson Producer: Bree Hickson-Jamieson Executive Producers: Benny Wallington, Georgia Shaw Artwork: Hannah Rose Social Media: Eliza Cowan Assistant: Madeline Corcoran Camera Operators: Amelie Barham, Ben 'Tofty' Toft Editing: Amelie Barham Music by: The East Pointers Recorded on Jinibara Country #RadioWoodfordia #FrankAndLouie #ShadWicka #HollyAustin #WoodfordFolkFestival #HarleyBreen #NikkiBritton #LivePodcast #Woodfordia #NewYearsDay #FolkMusic #LiveMusic #Comedy Join the Woodfordian Citizens: Perks - - Bi-Monthly emails sharing the ins and outs of the world of Woodfordia and the people who keep the heart beating. - Special invites to special events on site at Woodfordia. Super special. - Bonus podcast content - Early early bird access to Woodford Folk Festival tickets - Early access to workshop bookings at Woodford Folk Festival Visit: woodfordia.org/woodfordia/become-a-citizen More information at www.woodfordia.org For the festival: www.woodfordfolkfestival.com For Harley: https://www.harleybreen.com.au/ Credits: Host: Harley Breen Executive Producers: Bree Hickson-Jamieson, Josh Weier, Benny Wallington Audio mastering: Kieron Atkinson Music by: The East Pointers ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.