Corinbank, a place nobody had heard of before, put itself on the map last week as one of the major festivals in the Canberra area. It showcased numerous Canberra bands, as well as big names like Xavier Rudd, The Herd, Epicure, Kate Miller-Keidke, Muph & Plutonic, Koolism, Di Perplex, The Bamboos and Darren Hanlon.

To get there, one had to overcome some challenges, though. Finding Corinbank was an adventure in itself. Dirt roads, rocks and mud were awaiting those who found the long and winding road into the mountains. But for those who braved the trip, the drive was rewarding and beautifully scenic, with untouched landscapes crying out for artists to paint them…and that was just the trip to get there.

Once arrived at the festival, it felt like one had landed on another planet, with enough natural beauty to turn anyone into a naturalist. The festival organisers had done a really good job keeping the festival environmentally friendly and preserving the forest, which was nice to see. It really set the scene for the whole festival and people’s state of mind. There was not a piece of litter to be seen anywhere, even at the very end, which was very surprising.

Every face around you had that little spark of pride of being there, being part of something so special. Not a single person was stressed or unhappy – everyone had surrendered themselves wholeheartedly to the festive spirit and was glad to have escaped from the real world for a few days.

The mood at the festival was relaxed – not even the harsh weather extremes could dampen the spirits. Despite absolutely icy cold temperatures at night and skin burning heat during the day, there were smiling faces everywhere, with people partying and dancing to the smorgasbord of music and entertainment that was on offer.

It was nice to see such an emphasis on supporting local musicians. It felt like the organisers had transported the atmospheres, musicians and the punters from The Phoenix Bar and The Front to the tranquility of the surrounding natural beauty of the Corin Forests, which were such a strong part of the friendly and peaceful Corinbank vibe. Who would expect someone with the fame of Xavier Rudd to appear here on a stage?

One of the true highlights of the festival turned out to be the performance of Queensland songwriter, Darron Hanlon and his band. Unable to perform on the main stage due to technical difficulties, they ended up performing without amplification under a tree, completely acoustically. The total silence from a large crowd emphasised that a very special moment was happening here and the audience just couldn’t get enough of it. There was something so very intimate about his performance, which probably couldn’t have been achieved had Hanlon been up there on that huge stage so far away from the crowd. Maybe this will be something we’ll see more of at future Corinbanks…

There was so much going on everywhere and all the time, that at times it seemed hard to be able to experience all of it. Yet, there was always time for a chill out at the Chai Tent or go for a chill-coffee at one of the coffee stands and a laze about on the grass.

One place which seemed to have constant laughter coming from it was the Little Top: a circus-style tent small enough to create an intimate and cosy crowd, and large enough to fit a whole audience. During the festival there were several circus-themed shows ranging from contortionists and glass-eaters to jugglers and comedians – every show turned out to be hugely popular and successful.

Quite often, there was also self-initiated entertainment from the festival-goers themselves, like a couple of guys who felt the need to run around the festival in the nude. Then of course there were the fantastic crazy freak-bikes and tall-bikes, which were on constant display, allowing anyone to have a ride up and down the road.

One thing is for sure – everyone who returned back to dry land had a peaceful mood glazed onto their faces, for a moment wishing to go back again and perhaps stay there.