Published on 28 October 2025
31 young musicians took to the stage at the Mansfield Botanic Park on 18 October for the 2025 Mansfield heat of the Northeast Battle of the Bands competition.
The event was hosted by Mansfield Shire Youth and the Amplify Committee, transforming the Botanic Park into an outdoor music festival style event with food vans, a large stage, greenroom and amphitheatre style seating. Spectators watched performances from 16 acts battle it out on stage.
Mayor Cr Steve Rabie said the event was a huge success that showcased the power of youth led initiatives.
“It was fantastic to see the Botanic Park buzzing with so much energy and talent,” said Cr Rabie.
“Our Amplify Committee and youth volunteers did an outstanding job putting this event together. It was a top tier event run by youth, for youth, and that is an incredible achievement for our community.”
The event was youth led from start to finish. Passionate members of the Amplify Committee, alongside volunteers from the Youth Advisory Group handled everything from planning and promotion to backstage support and setup.
Amplify member Ella Crathern took on the role of emcee and kept the crowd entertained with witty music themed banter during set changeovers while upcoming young sound engineer Derek Beekman worked alongside Rolf Koren making sure everything sounded crisp and loud. Backstage, Mansfield Secondary College teacher Paul Riley worked on tuning guitars and calming pre-show nerves ensuring each young musician was ready to give it their all.
There was a star-studded judging panel made up of experienced local musicians Brydie Smith, James Alcaniz and Derek Beautyman. They had a tough job scoring competitors on their preparedness, originality, audience interaction, quality and presentation.
Winners of the 2025 Battle of the Bands:
Solo/Duo Category: Reiley Schelfhout
Band Category: Rated
Judges’ Award: Suburban Riot
All three acts will be taking the stage again at Rock Out on the opening night of the High Country Festival on Friday 31 October. Be sure to head down and show your support for these rising stars.
“My congratulations to Reiley, Rated and Suburban Riot on their outstanding performances,” said Cr Rabie.
“Supporting our young artists and giving them a platform to perform is vital for a vibrant community. These young musicians have very bright futures ahead of them.”
Looking ahead, the North East Grand Final will take place at the Delatite Hotel on Sunday 23 November, where Reiley Schelfhout and Rated will represent our region competing against winners from Benalla, Wangaratta, Albury and Strathbogie Shire.
Council would also like to acknowledge last year’s winners, with Ella Crathern taking out the Solo/Duo title and local band Blue Curtain finishing runners up in the band category at the North East Grand Final.
Thank you to everyone who made the day a success, from the organisers and volunteers to audience members who came out to support our local young talent. Keep your eyes (and ears) peeled, these young musicians are just getting started!