ICEHOUSE’s unofficial Australian anthem, Great Southern Land, is turning 40 years young in 2022 and the band is heading around the country to celebrate the song that’s been the soundtrack to everything from discussions about Mabo and the impassioned theme to the Australian cricket team walking on the field, to having a plane named after it.
Great Southern Land was first released in August 1982 as the lead single from ICEHOUSE’s multi-platinum second studio album, Primitive Man. The song debuted at #5 on the Australian Singles Chart and made its debut on triple j (2JJJ as it was known then).
Great Southern Land has been a part of almost every Australian’s summer soundtrack for the past 40 years and in 2014, it was inducted into the National Film and Sound Archive’s Sounds of Australia registry. It’s also been remixed a number of times, most notably Bill Laswell’s The Great Southern Mix, clocking in at almost 16 minutes, and the Byrralku Dhangudha remix from 1994 which features Indigenous musicians playing and singing the chorus in their own language. Its message is as current and relevant today as it was when it first appeared.
Iva Davies grew up in Wagga Wagga and recollects, “I had a classic Australian outdoor childhood, racing through the endless grass paddocks behind our house, building billycarts to race down Willans Hill, swimming in the river, and picnicking high up on the Rock, where the countryside stretched away for miles on all sides. That landscape became part of me, emerging often in my music and lyrics, most especially in Great Southern Land”.
The writing of Great Southern Land was triggered when Iva became incredibly homesick during the first ICEHOUSE overseas concert tour.
“I recall the lightbulb moment when I was flying from east coast Australia to the west, falling asleep over inland desert and waking several hours later still over desert — for the first time, the continent’s vastness really hit home”.
While some of the shows in THE CONCERT SERIES are being announced today, there will be more major concerts announced over coming weeks once venues, artists, politicians, musicians and roadcrew settle their schedules.
Across the year there will be a number of special guests from different eras of the song’s 40 years to tell their stories of the land we all share with so many diverse cultures and influences. At different concerts this may include Missy Higgins, James Reyne, Kasey Chambers, Eskimo Joe, Something for Kate, Jebediah, Baby Animals, William Barton, Vanessa Amorosi, Christine Anu, Busby Marou, Emily Wurramara and more. See the website for full details.
On sale and pre-sale dates for tickets to the initial performances of ICEHOUSE’s GREAT SOUTHERN LAND 2022 – THE CONCERT SERIES, presented in association with Live Nation and Regional Touring, are included below.
Saturday, 19 February 2022
Cockatoo Island, Sydney Harbour NSW
Special guests: James Reyne, Kasey Chambers, Busby Marou,
Christine Anu and True Vibenation
In association with Regional Touring and the Red Hot Summer Tour
Tickets on sale on Tuesday, 26 October 2021 at 10.00am from Ticketmaster
Venue, promoter and ticket outlet pre-sale from 10.00am to 11.59pm on
Monday, 25 October 2021
Saturday, 23 April 2022
Kings Park, Perth WA
Special guests: Something for Kate, Jebediah and Emily Wurramara
In association with Live Nation
Tickets on sale on Friday, 29 October 2021 at 10.00am from Live Nation
Venue, promoter and ticket outlet pre-sale from 10.00am Thursday 28
October to 9.00am Friday, 29 October 2021
Saturday, 7 May 2022
Queens Park, Toowoomba QLD
Special guests: James Reyne, The Angels, Baby Animals,
Vanessa Amorosi, Christine Anu and Emily Wurramara
In association with Regional Touring and the Red Hot Summer Tour
Tickets on sale on Tuesday, 26 October 2021 at 10.00am from Ticketmaster
Venue, promoter and ticket outlet pre-sale from 10.00am to 11.59pm on
Monday, 25 October 2021
Sunday, 8 May 2022
Harrigan’s, Jacobs Well, QLD
Special guests: James Reyne, The Angels, Baby Animals,
Vanessa Amorosi, Christine Anu and Emily Wurramara
In association with Regional Touring
Tickets on sale on Tuesday, 26 October 2021 at 10.00am from Ticketmaster
Venue, promoter and ticket outlet pre-sale from 10.00am to 11.59pm on
Monday, 25 October 2021
Saturday, 28 May 2022
Darwin Amphitheatre, Darwin NT
Special guests: Missy Higgins, Eskimo Joe and Emily Wurramara
In association with Live Nation
Tickets on sale on Friday, 29 October 2021 at 10.00am from Live Nation
Venue, promoter and ticket outlet pre-sale from 10.00am Thursday 28
October to 9.00am Friday, 29 October 2021
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