Homegrown major event High Voltage ready to rock

• WA's new major event, High Voltage, taking over Fremantle today
• More than 500 artists will perform throughout the city along a 5km street circuit across three different entertainment hubs
• Tourism events budget being increased to a record $75 million in upcoming State Budget to deliver more events of national and international significance
  

Western Australia has today launched a new homegrown festival as part of the McGowan Government's expanded major events strategy. High Voltage is a free, family friendly street event unlike anything else in Australia.

The festival is being funded from the WA Government's events tourism budget, which is being increased in the upcoming 2023-2024 State Budget. This includes an extra $15 million to attract major sporting, cultural and business events to WA.

High Voltage is part of the WA Government's reinvigorated major events strategy and will see more than 500 artists perform across the historic port city of Fremantle in a tribute to legendary AC/DC singer and Fremantle local, Bon Scott.

The festival kicks off inside Fremantle Oval at 1pm, with seven flatbed trucks converted into mobile stages completing a rollicking five kilometre street circuit of the city, the harbour and the beach in front of tens of thousands of spectators.

Along the route are three different mini-festival sites at Wilson Park in South Fremantle, the Esplanade Reserve and Fremantle Oval.

Many small businesses are holding their own High Voltage festival-related events, including bands performing throughout the afternoon and evening.

The High Voltage line-up includes Diesel, the Desert Stars, Katy Steele, Body Type, Eddie Perfect, Dan Sultan, Cash Savage, Natalie Gillespie, Soukouss and the Southern River Band.

High Voltage is a homegrown, state-owned event delivered by Tourism WA and produced by Perth Festival's new out-of-season Special Projects arm.

For more information, including the line-up, transport information, and the best locations to watch the entertainment, visit highvoltagewa.com.au.

Comments attributed to Premier Mark McGowan:

"I encourage everyone to get to Fremantle for High Voltage - a major new home-grown event that promises to use a musical street circuit to transform Fremantle into a city-wide festival.

"It will be a unique opportunity to enjoy live music and celebrate the community, and of course the legend himself - Bon Scott.

"There will be something for everyone - from young families to hard core rockers - and the best part is it is free.

"This will have a significant economic impact on small businesses and other organisations in the Fremantle area.

"We have made no secret of the fact that we are working hard to attract the best sporting, cultural and business events to WA.

"That's why we are backing in our reinvigorated major events strategy with a major multi-million-dollar budget boost.

"With more than 500 artists performing across Fremantle, High Voltage promises to be an exciting drawcard, not just for the port city but for people right across Perth and the State."

Comments attributed to Tourism Minister Roger Cook:

"Our major events strategy is rocking in WA.

"We're creating a huge noise around the country and the world.

"We are constantly rolling out new major events that are putting our State on the global stage for destination tourism.

"That's why I'm excited about the High Voltage festival. It's big, it's ambitious, there's nothing else like it and it is proudly Western Australia.

"The success of our major events strategy is being matched with extra funding in the Budget so that we can pursue even more events of national and international significance.

Comments attributed to Culture and the Arts Minister David Templeman:

"Three years ago, Perth and Australia celebrated the historic and massively successful Highway to Hell event.

"High Voltage will build on that monumental event and celebrate not only AC/DC, but Fremantle, our State and who we are as a community.

"I urge everyone to come down and make an afternoon of it."

Premier's office - 6552 5000

Tourism Minister's office - 6552 6500

Culture and the Arts Minister's office - 6552 5400