Chillout and Three Decades of Country Pride

Meredith from Chillout joins us to discuss Victoria’s longest‑running regional queer festival and teases out its evolution over three decades. This modest grassroots initiative has grown into a cornerstone event for our diverse LGBTIQA+ communities, and plays a pivotal role in fostering visibility and belonging in rural settings. Shaped by both tradition and innovation, organising this multi‑day celebration isn’t easy given the limited resources Meredith and the team have to work with. She speaks with Cal and Jack about how the Chillout team overcome funding constraints, regulatory requirements, and limited people power, and how they hope to do this for years to come. Check out our other JOY Podcasts for more on LGBTIQ+ health and wellbeing at joy.org.au/wellwellwell. If there’s something you’d like us to explore on the show, send through ideas or questions at [email protected] Find out more about LGBTIQ+ services and events in Victoria and South Australia at thorneharbour.org and samesh.org.au. Produced by: Caleb Hawk, Jack Crnjanin