Brolga Live @ is back in Poona for an afternoon of songs and sunshine with music from Fred Smith and COTTA.

Poona Community Hall

7 Snapper Drive, Poona

Brolga Live @ is a series of free, family-friendly, live outdoor concerts that pop up all over the Fraser Coast!

Featuring Fred Smith and supported by COTTA.

Grab your picnic rugs or campchairs, and head on down for three hours of live music and good times.

• BYO picnic
• BYO chairs or picnic blankets. 
• Please note: this is an alcohol free event.
• Please no dogs (except genuine assistance dogs).
• No fire pits / drums or similar permitted at this event.

Presented by the Brolga Theatre in partnership with the Poona Progress Association.

About the Artists

Fred Smith

Fred Smith writes songs. Some of them are sad. Some of them are funny. Some of them are sad and funny. Some of them are quite serious. They have melodies and stories you can remember - that stay with you and keep you company during the day and at night when you are sitting in a chair. Fred’s songs reflect the world he has seen in what, so far, has been a messy and interesting life. He was the subject of an Australian Story documentary feature about his experiences in Afghanistan and Bougainville. His book, The Dust of Uruzgan, was published by Allen and Unwin. 

An easy raconteur with a deep catalogue of great songs, Fred and band never repeat a song from set to set at a festival. His solo albums and collaborative recordings with Liz Frencham and The Spooky Men's Chorale are on many people’s ‘best ever’ lists.  His songs capture the human complexities of the countries he has worked in - Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea, the USA, and lately Australia – with poetry that is wry, tender and comprehending.

COTTA

Cassidy Mackie is one of Queensland's most beloved wedding and event musicians, having sung hundreds of couples down the aisle since 2014.  Her gift of capturing emotions through sound has earned her rave reviews from brides and grooms across Queensland and Victoria (you can read some here), and now she's calling the Fraser Coast home once more.

Especially since wowing audiences as a semi-finalist on The Voice Australia, Cassidy has performed frequently as herself, her alter-ego COTTA or as one half of her corporate acoustic duo.  A singer-songwriter by trade, Cassidy has performed as a musician at the 2020 and 2022 AFL Grand Finals in Brisbane and Melbourne, at corporate events the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre and Home of the Arts Gold Coast, as well as in musical theatre and cabaret productions across Queensland.    

Having worked recently with prolific Melbourne producer Ben Oldland, Cassidy has released a number of hit singles, which have been added to Triple J Unearthed rotation and picked up by many curated Spotify and Apple Music playlists.  Her cover of King of Wishful Thinking has amassed half a million Spotify streams to date.

She is an award-winning songwriter and well-loved extroverted performer, but feels most comfortable singing behind her trusty piano.

To help to stop the spread of COVID-19 and stay healthy:

• Please do not attend if you are feeling unwell.
• Maintain a social distance of 1.5m at all times.
• Use hand sanitiser before entering the venue.
• Follow any instructions given by our team members

Visit the Queensland Government website for information on current public health restrictions.