Gympie Music Muster festival-goers have raised a record $150,880.88 for prostate cancer awareness foundation Get Yourself Checked.
The fundraising efforts at the 2026 Gympie Music Muster saw festival-goers, businesses, organisations and volunteers come together to support the foundation, with contributions flowing through armband refunds, container recycling, auctions, raffles and direct donations.
The Muster also broke its own record for container collections, with 452,687 containers collected through Containers for Change, surpassing last year’s record of 374,512.
Gympie Music Muster CEO Greg Cavanagh said the result reflects the generosity of the Muster community and its strong commitment to supporting the festival’s charity partners.
“We are incredibly proud of what our community has achieved for Get Yourself Checked this year,” he said. “Raising more than $150,000, our highest total to date, is outstanding and shows how deeply our festivalgoers value and support this important cause.
“From those donating the funds left on their armbands and recycling containers, to the businesses, organisations, volunteers and individuals who supported our auctions, raffles and other fundraising initiatives, every contribution has helped make this possible.
“To also collect 452,687 containers, breaking last year’s record, is another fantastic achievement. I want to thank everyone who played a part in these efforts and helped us support Mark Tobin, Knuckles and the Get Yourself Checked team in spreading the message about prostate cancer awareness and early detection.
“The Gympie Music Muster has always been about community, and this result shows what we can achieve when we come together behind a cause that can make a real difference to people’s lives.”
The record total included nearly $50,000 from armband refunds, more than $45,000 through recycling cans and bottles, $24,000 from the Pratley guitar auction, $19,000 from the Get Yourself Checked boat raffle and a $10,000 donation from Military Brotherhood through its donut sales.
More than $2000 was donated in cash, $1,500 came from Get Yourself Checked alley wall stickers and Aussie Footy Shorts donated $330.
Founded by Followmont Transport owner Mark Tobin and Brett ‘Knuckles’ Hanly from CTC Country Trucker Caps, Get Yourself Checked is dedicated to raising awareness of prostate cancer, encouraging early detection and helping men understand the importance of getting checked.
While the fundraising total was a significant achievement, Mark said the opportunity to reach men and families with the foundation’s message was equally important.
“The money is great, but the actual exposure to so many men and so many stories that we witnessed from being a part of it was something we are really proud of,” he said.
Mark said the Get Yourself Checked team spoke with families and individuals who shared their personal experiences with prostate cancer, reinforcing the importance of getting the message out to as many people as possible.
“We had families come up to us and tell us their father had prostate cancer, including one who was diagnosed in his early 40s,” he said.
The foundation’s key message is that men should not put off speaking to their doctor about prostate cancer and the importance of early detection.
“We want people to understand that you don’t have to die from this disease if you get it early enough,” Mark said.
“It’s about getting people talking, looking after themselves and getting themselves checked. We want men to understand that it’s a simple blood test, and it could save your life.”
Mark said the support from Gympie Music Muster had given the foundation an opportunity to reach people who may not otherwise have engaged with the conversation.
“We’re very, very happy. I’m very proud,” he said.
Container Exchange, which operates Containers for Change in Queensland, also played a significant role in the fundraising effort, with the container collection overtaking last year’s record by more than 78,000 containers.
Joe Fitzgerald, spokesperson for Container Exchange (COEX), the not-for-profit that runs Containers for Change, congratulated Gympie Music Muster on beating its record to be the biggest container return event in the scheme’s history.
“Gympie Music Muster is a nation-leading example of how events can keep containers out of landfill and raise vital funds for charity,” he said.
“This remarkable achievement is thanks to partnership between the event organisers and local operator Change Exchange, as well as the thousands of Muster patrons who put their empties in the dedicated Containers for Change bins.”
The 2026 result sets a new fundraising record for Gympie Music Muster and demonstrates the difference that the festival community can have when it musters for a cause.
