Thousands turn out to Hay Park for first Groovin’ The Moo festival held in Bunbury since 2019

It was back, and it was back with a bang. Groovin’ The Moo made its long-awaited return to Bunbury on Saturday, in the first time the festival tour has been held since 2019 after years of pandemic-forced cancellations. It was a triumphant return, with thousands of people packing Hay Park for a day of live music and entertainment. South West locals were joined by those who had flocked from Perth and other parts of the State to attend the festival. They were treated to 24 different acts, including headliners UK superstar DJ Fatboy Slim, Adelaide hip-hop group the Hilltop Hoods and Australian Idol judge Amy Shark. Crowds shifted between the Cattleyard, Moolin Rouge and Mootown performance areas during the day as attendees sought to see their favourite musical acts in person. Those who stayed into the evening were lucky if they had brought jackets, with temperatures falling to 16C at 8pm, though conditions made it feel like a chilly 12C. However, aside from a few light showers, they were largely able to avoid the forecast wet weather. Eliza Rose showed audiences why she is the baddest of them all in the Moolin Rouge tent, singing a cover of Kylie Minogue’s I Can’t Get You Out of My Head before leading into her song B.O.T.A. which made it to number two on January’s Hottest 100 countdown. For those wanting something with a few less beats, on the main stage Ocean Alley made their return to Bunbury for the first time since the 2018 GTM tour. Shark was adored by the crowds afterwards, followed by the Hoods increasing the energy for those in the nosebleed section. Brisbane indie band Ball Park Music made it nice to be alive before the crowd chanted Fatboy Slim onto the stage for the finale. He played Rita Ora’s new song Praising You, which shares lyrics with his 1999 hit Praise You, before following on with remixes of 1980s hits, including Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s Relax. The 59-year-old worked the crowd, at one point putting on a face mask. Other offerings at the festival included a rotating swing ride and plenty of food options, while Red Frogs Australia helped out where they could. There were long queues for both drinks and the toilets, but it was not enough to dampen the spirit of patrons. An official after-party was held at The Pavilion nightclub.