End of an era with last NYE On The Hill
After a 17-year journey South Gippsland’s iconic music festival NYE On The Hill has announced that the upcoming 2026 event will be its last.
SOUTH Gippsland’s boutique music festival NYE On The Hill, has officially announced that its upcoming 2026 event will be its final edition. Affectionately dubbed ‘The Last Hill,’ the announcement marks the bittersweet end of a remarkable 17-year journey.
What started in 2009 as an invite-only shindig for Melbourne bands and their friends has grown over nearly two decades into a celebrated tradition that transformed this small community gathering into a staple of the Australian summer festival calendar.
The upcoming 2026 event will mark the 23rd Party on the Hill.
Organisers expressed immense pride in the festival's legacy, noting that they wanted to leave the party when it's at its best and guarantee they go out on an absolute high.
Since its inception, the festival has served as a crucial launching pad for homegrown talent, hosting over 600 bands and more than 2,500 musicians and performers, many of whom played their first-ever festival sets on the Hill.
Beyond the music, the event became famous for its strict capacity limit of 3,000 patrons, fostering a unique friends-of-friends community atmosphere that led to countless lifelong friendships.
To celebrate its final year, the festival has curated a stellar lineup featuring Ball Park Music, The Pacific, The Rions, Mervs, Avenue, Boy Soda, and Darcie Haven, alongside a comedy stand-up set from Meg Jäger and a special performance by Million Dreaming.
Full festival tickets including camping offer music lovers one last chance to experience the incredibly good-vibing glory of the Hill. The final celebration will take place from December 30, 2026, to January 1, 2027.
