The Toyota Muster, held over six magical days and unforgettable nights among the towering gums of Amamoor Creek State Forest Park, celebrates the true spirit of country Australia. It's a phenomenal experience rooted in music and community, far removed from ties and clocks, suits and schedules. Thousands of patrons flock to this iconic event, attracted each year by the smorgasbord of diverse programs rich with our country's finest musicians, the bushland setting laced with inviting whiffs of campfire cooking and fresh bush eucalypt, the easy camaraderie created by convivial patrons all set to simply enjoy themselves... 'there are no strangers at the Muster, just friends you haven't met yet..'

Over the years, the growth of the Toyota Muster has enabled the entertainment line up to diversify into an exciting mix of musical genres while still maintaining its strong country focus - 170 shows total over 227 hours of pure country! As well as traditional and modern country, entertainment within 13 other stages and venues includes an aural collage ranging from folk, bluegrass, balladeers and gospel, to blues, bush poetry, clogging, linedancing, swing and rock 'n roll ... there's even a short film festival and the serious competition of the Maton Talent Search where future careers are established.

The Muster's picturesque 50-hectare site is an ideal location for this great festival. The site, 2 hours drive north of Brisbane, 40 minutes from Noosa and 1 hour from heritage listed Fraser Island, is easily accessible by large vehicles - just watch for meandering cows!

The forest becomes a mini-city at the end of August each year, with a general store, sit-down and take-away food and bar outlets, phones, EFTPOS and other essential services. A massive dual Main Stage is in the heart of the entertainment precinct, which also contains 13 other diverse venues. All venues are within easy walking distance and all only a short stroll through forest paths to the camping areas. Click here to see a site map.

Clearly laid out camping grounds surround the entertainment area and plenty of regularly serviced toilets and hot showers are distributed throughout the site. Camping costs are included in the one ticket price (camping only available for the duration of the ticket purchased) and grounds are accessible by caravan, motorhome, bus and other large vehicles.

If bringing your own tent is a 'chore' take advantage of the on-site accommodation already set up for you, with a number of packages, including Banjo's B&B, Banjo's Gold B&B and Budget, being available.
Banjo's offers private cabin-style tent accommodation. Your tent is ready for you when you arrive, with internal lighting, carpet and beds. Just bring your own bedding, towels and personal requirements.
Banjo's Gold offers patrons the same benefits but with motel-like service. Linen and pillows are provided and beds are made ready for your arrival. Both packages include 4 nights accommodation (Thurs 28 - Sun 31 August 2008 incl) with breakfasts. Accommodation for Tues 26/Wed 27 August is available upon request for both Banjo's and Banjo's Gold.
Budget offers roomy cabin-style tents, ready for you when you arrive. Complete with internal lighting, carpet and camp-style beds, you need only bring your own bedding, towels and personal requirements. Packages from 1 - 6 nights.
Alternatively there is accommodation available within an hours drive both on the Sunshine Coast and the Cooloola Region.

Click here to see more details on camping and accommodation options.

To keep an eye on the event and program updates as they happen, subscribe to the Muster's FREE electronic newsletter. The newsletter, with some 12,000 current subscribers, is just like a country music magazine, providing up to the minute program and ticket information. The newsletter also includes all the latest news - on CD releases, details of artists' gigs from right around Australia, who's on the charts and general music industry gossip. A quick glance at the headlines keeps you informed, and you can click onto the associated web address for more info. Click here to subscribe. It's that easy!

If you've already discovered how great the Muster's FREE electronic newsletter is don't keep it to yourself, TELL YOUR FRIENDS.

Over 50 community groups and 2000 volunteers annually help the event organisers, Gympie Apex Club Inc, to stage this non-profit community-based festival to raise funds to assist charities Australia-wide. Since it's inception in 1982, the Muster has raised over $11M for charities and community groups. The Toyota Muster also raises funds through it's Rural Aid Appeal, annually raising up to $100,000 for it's nominated charity. Funds are raised through sales from a range of merchandise which includes CDs & DVDs, shirts, caps, leathergoods and Bundaberg Rum, Driza-Bone and XXXX merchandise. Click here to see the merchandise range.

This phenomenal festival makes a difference - by giving something back to rural and regional Australia.

In 1982, Gympie based country music trio, the Webb Brothers, picked up a Golden Guitar for "Who Put The Roo In The Stew?" at the Tamworth Country Music Festival - a celebration was called for! fter enlisting the help of the local Apex Club of Gympie (always ready for a party), a celebratory fund-raiser was held on the Webb's 100-year old property at Thornside. A ball and dinner on the Saturday night was followed by a selection of acts on the Sunday, the Muster's first Main Stage built out of bush timber and borrowed Queensland Rail tarpaulins. The showers were jam tins with holes punched into them, drophole toilets sufficed, drinking water was trucked to the site and patrons could buy a season pass for just $20. Announcers from 4KQ compered the show and SEQ Television produced a special program commemorating the event. All up $9,600 was spent on entertainment (which is about two-percent of today's budget), a couple of thousand people attended and the club generated a surplus of around $12,000 for charity. The first Muster was deemed a roaring success.

After three years, the event had grown significantly. The Club decided that another site was essential - permanent facilities could be established to ensure the ongoing growth of the event. The site chosen was an area of land owned by the Queensland Forestry Department. It was agreed that the site have a multiple use as a State Forest Park which would utilise the Muster's facilities The 1985 Muster was held at Amamoor Creek State Forest Park. From there, the event has continued each year to grow in attendance and in profile. As more and more patrons attended, Muster organisers developed venues, among the first were the infamous CrowBar, Muster Club and the Talent Search.

In 1993, Australia was suffering the worst drought on record. The Club decided to commit all funds raised to support the national drought appeal. As a result, the Rural Aid Appeal was initiated. The Appeal annually raises funds for a major charity each year through the sale of compilation CDs and a range of specially designed merchandise. Over the years, Rural Aid beneficiaries have included Diabetes Australia, the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Leukaemia Foundation, Youth Suicide Prevention, VISE (Volunteers for Isolated Students Education), Transplant Australia and the Melanoma Foundation.

The Gympie Apex Club Inc remain to this day, the organisers of the event. The event has grown each year and has never failed to make a profit - which is distributed among worthy charities, both locally and nationally. An ever-growing number of community groups are also involved in the staging of the event, and for most, it is their major fundraiser for the year. There is a real sense of community ownership in the Muster with now more than 50 local community groups involved in the event's success.

Since its inception, the Muster has raised more than $11,000,000 dollars for charities Australia-wide and annually raises up to $100,000 for the Rural Aid Appeal.