Australia’s live music festivals are facing mounting challenges from climate-related disruptions, with new research highlighting a shift in attendee behaviour that may carry implications for event organisers, insurers, and risk advisors.
A new report titled “Rain, Heat, Repeat: How Music Fans Are Experiencing Extreme Weather,” commissioned by Green Music Australia and developed by researchers from RMIT and La Trobe University, reveals that a majority of festival attendees have encountered what they perceive as extreme weather in the past 12 months.
Of the 1,155 respondents surveyed across Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, and Tasmania, 85% cited personal experiences with heatwaves, heavy rain, or flooding during music events.
The study suggests that weather patterns are already affecting attendance rates and purchase behaviour. Thirteen percent of participants said they are now attending fewer festivals due to weather concerns, while 34% indicated they are more cautious about buying tickets. Among regular attendees – those who attend at least once a week – 44% reported increased hesitancy.
Extreme heat emerged as a dominant factor, with 68% of respondents reporting heat-related discomfort at events in the past year. The data points to clear thresholds:
Rain and flood events also rank highly, particularly in NSW and Queensland, where nearly one in five attendees reported experiencing flooding during a live music event.
This changing behavioural landscape mirrors wider pressures facing the insurance sector, which continues to grapple with the financial aftermath of high-impact weather events.
The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) recently released an action plan responding to the 2022 South-East Queensland and Northern Rivers floods, which generated more than 240,000 insurance claims and $6.3 billion in losses.
Event organisers are also facing increased uncertainty. Miranda Nicol, an event manager with Untitled Group, said the unpredictability of seasonal weather has made long-term planning more difficult.
“As little as five years ago, we could plan our seasonal events with reasonable confidence around a determined weather forecast. Where previously the March Labour Day weekend had cool nights and days sitting in the mid-twenties, we encountered a record-breaking heatwave in 2024 during our Pitch Music & Arts Festival. The heightened fire risks and heat-related health concerns for our patrons ultimately led to the festival’s cancellation,” she said.
She added that the company has begun working with fire safety consultants and emergency service agencies to develop contingency protocols, but the additional safety measures come with rising operational costs.
Green Music Australia’s report calls for a coordinated response to the growing risks facing the live events industry. Recommendations include public investment in sustainable infrastructure, better risk communication, and protections for ticket holders impacted by weather-related cancellations.
The ICA has similarly urged governments to prioritise long-term resilience. Its proposed $30.15 billion Flood Defence Fund includes a 10-year strategy for levee construction, home retrofitting, and voluntary property buybacks.
This policy push aligns with provisions in the 2025-26 federal budget, which allocates over $1.2 billion for disaster relief programs. These include $28.8 million for hazard mitigation planning and $580 million in NSW for infrastructure projects intended to reduce flood exposure
