TORQUAY,
TOGETHER
A celebration of the people, places and shared moments that shape our coastal community.
FOR TWENTY YEARS, HIGH TIDE HAD BEEN PART OF THE STORY OF TORQUAY
TORQUAY,
TOGETHER
A celebration of the people, places and shared moments that shape our coastal community.
FOR TWENTY YEARS, HIGH TIDE HAD BEEN PART OF THE STORY OF TORQUAY
ONE TOWN, MANY STORIES
20 Years of Memories
The High Tide Story
1995
The beginning
High Tide launches as a Torquay community festival. It emphasises participation, local culture, and bringing people together. Initiated by Surf Coast Shire Officers Noelle Currie and Lesley Dow and volunteers from the arts community. Julie Dyer, a key volunteer, took up the position at the shire vacated by Lesley during the inaugural year. Julie continued organising the festival for the next twenty years.
Late 90s
The festival takes root
The festival built its own identity through music, art, local involvement and community celebration. Its program included performances, workshops, community activities and opportunities for young people, with local artists playing an important role.
2000-2010
A festival tradition
High Tide became a regular part of life in Torquay. It created memories for families, visitors and performers. The festival won recognition through VicHealth’s health-promotion awards, and in 2009 the Surf Coast Shire named High Tide its Community Event of the Year.
2010-2015
The final High Tide chapter
A new generation became a part of the festival’s story, while earlier generations reflect on the people and moments that shaped it. The 2014 program features Hoofprints in the Sand, a large outdoor performance at Cosy Corner. The event later continues as the Torquay Festival, marking 20 years since it began in 1995.
NOT ONE ICONIC MOMENT – A THOUSAND EVERYDAY CONNECTIONS.
FOUNDATION
High Tide celebrated the uniqueness of Torquay – its local culture, community, history and talent.
EVERYONE WAS A PART OF HIGH TIDE
From its early beginnings, the High Tide festival weekends reflected the changing character of Torquay – its music, creativity, surf culture, businesses, families and community spirit.
It created spaces where locals could meet, visitors could discover Torquay and memories could be made.
AWARD WINNING
Certificate and quirky trophy from VicHealth in 2001
A FESTIVAL THAT BROUGHT TORQUAY TOGETHER
THE GALLERY
More than a festival
It brought together the many things that make Torquay distinctive through music, art, performance, history, creativity, families, local business and community.
POSTERS
From the first High Tide festival in 1995 to the final event, the festival became part of Torquay’s cultural life.
Created to attract audiences and shape the festival’s identity, the posters were central to its marketing and branding, while also capturing the complexity of the festival experience.
COMMUNITY
Local businesses and community organisations played an active role in the festival, contributing to a collective celebration of what it means to live, work, and participate in Torquay’s civic and cultural life.
ARTS & CREATIVES
Each year, artists and creative practitioners made a significant contribution to the festival, strengthening its cultural identity, supporting economic growth, and fostering community connection through performances, installations, and storytelling.
FAMILIES
Families contributed significantly to the High Tide Festival’s success through volunteering, attendance, and local spending.
By bringing residents together and preserving local traditions, families helped build a cohesive and welcoming community.
MUSIC
Music by local artists played a key role in the Torquay High Tide Festival’s success. It brought people together, increased attendance, strengthened the festival’s identity, and supported the local economy. Lively performances created a welcoming atmosphere, showcased regional talent, and helped build community pride.
Torquay, The Place That Made Us: Where History Happens
LOUD
LOCAL
VIDEO
1970s Torquay Cavalcade
2008 High Tide OUR SPACE, OUR PLACE
2008 High Tide A MAZING ACTIVITY
2008 High Tide WORKSHOPS
THE LEGACY
What High Tide left behind
High Tide helped demonstrate what happens when a community makes culture together. It connected generations, encouraged local creativity and turned familiar Torquay places into stages for stories, music, movement and celebration.
The festival may have ended, but the memories remain part of Torquay’s story.
Images thanks to Julie Dyer, Jan Preston, Kelly Read, Wendy Grose, Kiyra Macklin, Peter Marshall and many unidentified others.
BROUGHT ONE STORY.
LEFT WITH MANY.
