Top Time on Norfolk for Country Music Festival

New Zealand's incorrigible, straw-sucking Topp Twins will headline the world's most remote country music festival on Norfolk Island from May 27-June 3, 2007.

Lying 1500km north-east of Sydney, the tiny island's boutique Country Music Festival is in its 14th year, attracting hundreds of music lovers and top acts from Australia and New Zealand.

Making their debut at the annual Norfolk Island hoedown are the acclaimed Kiwi-grown Topp Twins, a popular musical and slapstick comic duo whose hilarious, gender-bending talents have scored them their own prime-time TV show.

Twin sisters Lynda and Jools Topp write and sing country music, have toured with Split Enz and transform into an array of infamous comedy characters including yodeling cowgirls 'Hertie' and 'Gertie', straw-sucking, spoon clacking hillbillies, boorish blokes and gormless, camped up camp leaders.

The Norfolk festival will also star fellow Kiwi acts The Cattlestops, who specialise in 'western swing', and Maori ballad singer, Eddie Lowe, a versatile but partially blind musician who has mastered the piano, trumpet, flute, guitar, string bass, violin and piano accordion.

Australian performers at the festival include rising star Amber Lawrence, whose debut album will be released in May, as well as popular, award-wining singer, Paul Costa.

A highlight of the festival will be the Trans-Tasman Entertainer of the Year Contest, a keenly-fought, toe-tapping tussle between Australian and New Zealand crooners. The winner of the 2006 contest, Aussie teenager, Briana Lee, will make an encore appearance at this year's event.

The festival will feature four evening concerts, leaving country music fans plenty of time during the day to enjoy Norfolk's beautiful coastal scenery, beaches, fine dining, stylish bars, low-tax shopping, rich history and new adventure activities and eco experiences.

Oxley Travel is offering special seven-night Country Music Festival packages for the event from May 27-June 3. The deals are available from $1297 per person from Brisbane and $1362 per person from Sydney, twin share, and include entry to all concerts, passes to after-show parties, return flights with Norfolkair, airfare taxes, accommodation, seven days car hire, island transfers and an island tour. Air connections are available from other centres.
Call Oxley Travel toll-free on 1800 671 546.

For general information on Norfolk, visit www.norfolkisland.nf.

Media Contacts:
Andrew Mevissen/Bill Gray
MG Media Communications
02 9904 0011
Issued: April 2, 2007