BMUP is a community based QLD incorporated Not-For-Profit that brings quality live music to the remote far north. We are a bunch of music believing volunteers that proudly look on our shows as the best in the land. If you are a punter we aim to give you your funnest weekend of the year, if you are a performer we aim to give you your funnest gig of the year. Simple as that.
OR
In festival jargon we are a boutique (ie small) reconstructed/deconstructed/post-neo/retro/alternative BYO anti-festival where you can camp, sit your arse on the grass and watch some cool music under the aura of a truly amazing far northern landform.
WHEN IS IT?
This year is our lucky thirteenth and we start proceedings with the intimate blues/roots focus.
We then roll onto the big fella, BMUP'13 in August when you can either do the 3 day BIG WEEKENDER TICKET (16/17/18th) or the FIVE DAY IMMERSION TICKET (14-18th).
At our shows there's no strict programs, no workshops, no children’s festival, no late night doofing, just one stage at a time and one focus. There is quality cuisine and coffee available and a great little merch store for you to support the performers - and did I say we keep it small!
WHAT IS THE BLACK MOUNTAIN PICNIC?
(JUNE 7/8/9 2024)
The Picnic is our small BMUP gig (June 7/8/9). It's focused as an easy weekend away with 2 nights of crazy good live music and lazy days of good food and coffee, spacious camping, and a Saturday afternoon OLYMPICS at the heel of one of Australia’s most striking landforms - Black Mt / Kalkajaka. What else could a punter need?.. well how's about a Sunday morning brunch of breaky and blues? Sunday lunchtime is stumps and you can head home fully refreshed ready again to pay off the mortgage :) June 7/8/9.
WHAT IS BMUP'13?
(AUG 14/15/16/17/18)
It's bigger (but still small comparitively) - it has a main stage and a rainforest stage (the Tartree Stage), it has art, food and clothes stalls, it has more performers and runs for longer. it has the infamous DRAG VOLLEY BALL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, it also has the rather mad SUNDAY NIGHT of the Question or Riff show and the closing Vinyl Discotheque.
It's our 3 year renewal and we are changing lanes from our double weekend 10 day event to a more concentrated alternative - A 3 DAY BIG WEEKEND TICKET or the 5 DAY IMMERSION TICKET. The 3 day ticket is the normal festival ticket and big and beautiful as ever ; the 5 day ticket includes the pre-festival Wednesday Night Bare Foot Black Tie Ball and the Thursday Night Acoustic Feast all situated at the stunning rainforest Tar Tree Stage before the commencement of the Big Weekend at Sunset on Friday.
WHERE IS BLACK MOUNTAIN?
We are at the foot of Black Mountain (Kalkajaka) National Park located at the northern end of the world famous Bloomfield Track in Far North Queensland (or about 20 minutes south of Cooktown).
If travelling from Cairns to Cooktown turn right off the Mulligan Hwy towards Bloomfield/Cape Tribulation and go a smidgeon (meaning not far or 1.2kms) and you’ll see the BMUP sign on the left - drive in and you're there..
Alternatively, if your travelling the track from the south it's just a smidgeon past the iconic Lions Den Hotel.
If you're less adventurous, you can let Google do the heavy lifting for you and click the maps link below.
(Pro-tip: Download the map for when your phone loses service!)