A large group of people gathered outdoors on a grassy area, many sitting or lying on the grass, with some standing and walking. The scene is sunny with bright sunlight filtering through trees in the background, indicating a cheerful outdoor event or festival.

Touring Festival – Spilt Milk

Location: ACT, VIC, WA, QLD

Event type: Touring festival

Client: Kicks Entertainment

Venue: Canberra, Ballarat, Perth, Gold Coast

Capacity: Up to 55,000 per show

Bar staff: 500+

Northbourne has been delivering major event beverage and catering services for the large-scale single-day touring music festival since its debut in 2016. Over the years, we have been responsible for managing the liquor licence and bar services for a range of festival activities, including live music performances, outdoor pop-ups, and special events. Our team has collaborated closely with both the festival organisers and key third-party partners to ensure smooth bar operations across multiple festival locations.

Spilt Milk key deliverables

  • Provision of an appropriate liquor licence.

  • Notifications to relevant authorities, including local liquor licensing offices and councils.

  • Implementation and management of liquor licensing conditions.

  • Maintenance of current wholesale trading accounts with major brewers, spirit manufacturers, and wholesale liquor suppliers.

  • End-to-end bar operations management, including layout planning, infrastructure supply, cold storage and stock control.

  • Menu development and pricing strategy tailored to audience profile, licensing conditions and sponsor objectives.

  • Liaison with sponsors on the design and execution of activations to ensure brand integration and memorable patron experiences.

  • Theming, signage and lighting coordination for all bars to align with event aesthetics and sponsor branding.

  • Delivery of premium service offerings across VIP, backstage and artist areas, including rider fulfilment.

  • Stock forecasting and procurement based on historical data, weather conditions and attendance projections.

  • Provision of access to Finely Tuned for live trading data monitoring.

  • Prompt post-event settlement with full open-book access to all event-related documentation.

  • Provision of a post-event review for the promoter.

  • Waste management coordination in line with event and council sustainability policies, including compostable and recyclable serviceware.

  • Creation and management of a bump in and out schedule aligned with site management expectations and event timelines.

  • Management of delivery schedules for infrastructure and incoming stock.

  • Liaison with site management on hire of equipment and infrastructure requirements.

  • Recruitment, training, and management of 500+ staff across the event duration.

  • RSA compliance oversight, including coordination of licensed security personnel and RSA marshals.

  • Preparation of risk assessments and compliance documentation in line with event and regulatory expectations.

  • Coordination of customer service training and incident management protocols for bar staff.

  • Staff rostering and real-time communications tools to ensure smooth coordination across all bar teams.

  • Integration with site-wide communication systems (e.g. radios, messaging groups, command centres).

  • ensuring 100% compliance with liquor licensing.

  • WHS inductions and other workplace safety requirements.

  • Clear and prompt communication with client and other stakeholders.

A large outdoor music festival with a crowd of people watching a stage with bright lights and large screens displaying a female performer. The stage has a yellow canopy with 'Split Milk' written on it, and colorful flags and trees are visible in the background.

For more festivals partners, please see our full client list.

Festival partners