When is GROUNDED on in 2026?

GROUNDED 2026 is coming to Victoria on April 22 & 23. We’ll start around 8am each day and go into the evening with food stalls, the bar open for great local wines, ciders and beers and live music by local musicians so be sure to plan on staying nearby.

Where is GROUNDED 2026 going to be held?

In 2026 GROUNDED will be hosted at Yan Yan Gurt West Farm in the beautiful Otways, about 50 minutes west of Geelong. While Yan Yan Gurt West is hosting the event, any queries should be directed to us at hello@groundedaustralia.com.au

Where can I stay?

Once again there will be camping on site this year, including glamping (you’ll need to book both on our ticket site), and there is lots of various levels of accomodation nearby. You can find suggestions here.

Why don’t you have the program organised yet?

We work on the program right up until the last week, but we’ll have drafts and other things up as we confirm speakers. In the meantime, you can check out the programmes from 2024 & 2025 as a bit of an example. For updates it might be best to subscribe to our newsletter.

Can I bring my own food and drink?

Feel free to bring your own food and non alcoholic drinks. The site will have reasonably priced food to suit most tastes, including from food vans. We’ll also be fully licensed, selling drinks that match the philosophy of the festival at our farm bar, The Lazy Springtail, along with non-alcoholic options (but we won’t have plant milks). Water will be freely available on site to refill your mug or water bottle. And speaking of mugs, it’s a good idea to bring your own keepcup or similar.

Can I bring my dog/kids/campervan?

Unfortunately, it’s no to animals other than assistance dogs. And this year it’s tents only, no campervans – we just don’t have the room for vans. In terms of kids, under 18s can come for free with a paid adult. Camping tickets are available for purchase on the ticketing page. Spaces are limited, but we’ll also have glamping (bookings also on our ticketing page).

I’m interested in food sytems but i’m not a farmer, is grounded for me?‘

GROUNDED is aimed at growing food better, and all the things that revolve around that. So our interests are soil and food and getting good thing to eat to those that need it the most. While some sessions are very much aimed at those doing the job of growing (or their supporters), our topics are of relevance to those in the nutrition space, the finance space, the corporate morality space and more. Because we do multiple sessions each day, you can plan for sessions that suit your interests and perhaps find new interests, too.

I’m differently abled, and I’ll need to park close. What should I do?

Before you book, we just want you to know that it’s a working farm with bumpy roads and grass, and isn’t fully accessible. That said, the marquees will be close to the car park and if you’re used to farms, you’ll be fine. Use your better judgement or send us an email if you want more detail. When you book, just be aware that parking close to the site is limited, so it’d be good to know you’re coming. After you’ve booked your ticket, be sure to email us at hello@groundedaustralia.com.au to let us know what days you are coming, and how we can make the process best for you.

What’s the deal with refunds?

Because we’re a small festival with a tiny team of mostly volunteers, we’re trying to limit risk and admin. If you cancel a month or more prior, we’ll refund your money, less a booking fee and any credit card charges. After that it gets tricky, and we’d prefer you tried to transfer your ticket to someone else or if we have a waitlist, we may be able to help. From a fortnight prior, that process might become too tricky, so no guarantees. If for any reason beyond our control that we have to postpone the event (eg catastrophic weather), we’ll give you a credit for a time when it is safe to run GROUNDED. (Please refer to the Terms & Conditions page)