Australian Crawl’s first performances under the band’s original name in 40 years have helped drive extraordinary demand for the 2026 Red Hot Summer Tour, with the Mornington Racecourse show selling out within minutes of tickets going on sale.
by Paul Cashmere
The 2026 Red Hot Summer Tour has recorded its first sell-out, with the Mornington Racecourse event on 8 November reaching capacity within minutes of tickets going on sale on Thursday morning. The rapid sell-out highlights strong public demand for a line-up led by Australian Crawl’s first shows under their original band name since 1986 and a rare reunion with Men At Work on the same bill.
The speed of the Mornington sell-out comes less than two weeks after the tour announcement generated widespread interest among Australian music fans. While Mornington has now sold out, organisers have confirmed that tickets remain available for the Ballarat concert on 7 November, giving Victorian audiences another opportunity to see one of the most significant Australian rock line-ups assembled in recent years.
The strong response reflects the historic nature of the headline attraction. Australian Crawl will perform under their original name for the first time in four decades, bringing together original members James Reyne, Simon Binks and David Reyne on stage once again. The reunion marks a milestone moment for a band whose catalogue remains among the most influential in Australian rock history.
Equally significant is the pairing with Men At Work. The two bands have not appeared together on the same major bill since the Narara Music Festival in New South Wales in January 1983, at the height of Australia’s pub rock boom. Their return to the same stage reconnects two acts whose success helped define Australian music during the early 1980s.
The reunion carries particular resonance given Australian Crawl’s history. The group officially disbanded in 1986 following a turbulent final period that included the death of guitarist and songwriter Guy McDonough and a series of line-up changes. Although members have performed Australian Crawl songs over the years, the band itself has not returned under its original name until now.
Speaking when the tour was announced, James Reyne reflected on the band’s unlikely beginnings on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.
“We ran our own shows on the Pen and a following grew,” Reyne said. “We decided we should perhaps give this thing a year, before we returned to our studies, just to see what happens. What a ride.”
Simon Binks also acknowledged the rarity of the reunion.
“I’m looking forward to this upcoming celebration of Australian Crawl. Who would have thought that this far down the track three original members would be sharing the same stage once again,” he said.
The Mornington sell-out is particularly symbolic given the band’s origins. Australian Crawl emerged from the Mornington Peninsula music scene in the late 1970s before becoming one of Australia’s most successful acts. Albums including The Boys Light Up, Sirocco, Sons Of Beaches and Semantics produced enduring hits such as Beautiful People, Downhearted, Errol and Reckless, helping establish the group as a cornerstone of Australian rock.
Men At Work bring an equally significant legacy to the tour. Led by Colin Hay, the band achieved international success with songs including Down Under, Who Can It Be Now?, Overkill, Be Good Johnny and It’s A Mistake. Their breakthrough in the United States and Europe helped introduce Australian rock to a global audience and remains one of the most successful export stories in Australian music history.
Beyond the two headline acts, the Red Hot Summer Tour line-up spans multiple generations of Australian music. Birds Of Tokyo, Vika & Linda, Eskimo Joe, Boom Crash Opera and Ella Hooper complete a bill that combines established heritage acts with artists who have continued to shape Australian music into the 21st century.
The rapid Mornington sell-out also demonstrates the continuing strength of the Red Hot Summer Tour brand, which has built a reputation for presenting large-scale outdoor events featuring major Australian artists. With nine other dates still scheduled across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia, organisers will be watching closely to see whether demand continues at a similar pace.
For Victorian fans who missed out on Mornington, the Ballarat show now becomes the remaining opportunity to see Australian Crawl’s historic return and their long-awaited reunion with Men At Work. Given the response to the first Victorian date, attention is likely to turn quickly to ticket availability for Ballarat as the tour moves closer to its October launch.
RED HOT SUMMER TOUR 2026
17 October 2026, Toowoomba, Queens Park
18 October 2026, Sandstone Point, Sandstone Point Hotel
24 October 2026, Berry, Berry Showground
25 October 2026, Manly, Keirle Park
31 October 2026, Hunter Valley, Roche Estate
1 November 2026, Coolangatta, Coolangatta Beach
7 November 2026, Ballarat, Victoria Park
8 November 2026, Mornington, Mornington Racecourse (Sold Out)
14 November 2026, Swan Valley, Sandalford Wines
15 November 2026, Glenelg, Glenelg Beach
Tickets available at www.redhotsummertour.com.au. Tickets remain on sale for all shows except Mornington.
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