Alison Byrnes (Cunningham, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Over the weekend, the Illawarra's biggest celebration of music, arts and culture, the Yours and Owls Festival, took place at its new home at the University of Wollongong. The two-day annual music festival has been running for almost 10 years, having battled through the pandemic, which ended with them hosting the first COVID-safe festival in New South Wales, in 2021. Yours and Owls was co-founded by proud UOW alumni Adam Smith, Ben Tillman, and Balunn Jones. Turning a small cafe into one of Australia's most respected music brands is not ordinary journey, but it's one that is now ingrained in the Illawarra's culture. The trio are passionate about sustainability, keeping this front of mind when planning their events and festivals, which feature reusable cups and an entire sustainability team on the ground.

This year saw nearly 20,000 attendees enjoy local, national and international acts across five stages spread across the university campus. A big shout-out to the UOW Vice Chancellor, Professor Patricia Davidson, for welcoming Wollongong's favourite festival with open arms. To Adam, Ben and Bal, thank you so much for cultivating a festival and brand that the Illawarra is so proud of. After nearly 10 years of operating in our region, you are a vital part of the Illawarra, bringing economic opportunity, support for local artists and a sense of community—where people from all walks of life come together to enjoy live music. (Time expired)