Winarch Group recently announced a rebrand of Cedar Mill Group to Winarch Music (WM) and Winarch Live (WL). This change unites the business’ tourism, music and events assets under two divisions, both of which are designed to deliver projects built for the human experience.
Winarch Music will represent the company’s investment, ownership and management of live entertainment venues and consumer music businesses.
Winarch Music includes the Cedar Mill Amphitheatre, a 30,000 capacity, purpose-built music venue in Lake Macquarie, central to Winarch Group’s vision of creating a significant network of amphitheatres and entertainment precincts that enhance regional tourism across Australia. Complementing this vision is the iconic Musos Corner music store in Newcastle, acquired by Winarch Group in May 2024, which has received significant investment to enhance its future, including the creation of live performance space Musos Live.
Today Winarch Group, led by Founder and Managing Director Paul Lambess and CEO Kyle McKendry, also announced the acquisition of the respected independent guitar store, The Guitar Lounge in Sydney. For 15 years this store, established by the late Robert Bramley, has been a testament to his vision and dedication, playing an important role in nurturing the passion and creativity of countless musicians. This addition to Winarch Music’s portfolio reflects the company’s commitment to preserving The Guitar Lounge’s legacy.
Winarch Live, overseen by Head of Winarch Live Ewen Craig and newly promoted Operations Manager David Fortescue, will encompass the Group’s comprehensive offering of venue, event, safety and management services.
Winarch Live will bring together the event management company Cedar Mill Events and Secure Events and Assets (SEAA), a leading Australian provider of security and crowd management for major events. In addition, both The Olive Tree Market and The Finders Keepers markets will be integrated into the Winarch Live brand. Winarch Group acquired Newcastle’s The Olive Tree Market in October 2023 aligning with its overarching mission to invest in projects and businesses that encourage tourism and deliver regional economic growth. In March 2024 Winarch expanded its portfolio further by adding Australia’s leading design marketplace, The Finders Keepers markets, reinforcing its commitment to supporting the creative, live music, events and tourism sectors.
“Winarch Group is a business built for the human experience. Our rebrand presents an opportunity to unify the diverse aspects of our Music and Live portfolios under a cohesive identity – one that reflects who we are today, where we are heading and the value we deliver to our stakeholders. We are also proud to welcome our latest acquisition, The Guitar Lounge, a cherished institution with music enthusiasts, to Winarch Group,” Winarch Group CEO, Kyle McKendry said.
The rebrand follows two years of Winarch Group’s exponential growth across the music, events and tourism industries, with all businesses now combined under the overarching Winarch Group brand. With this transformation, Winarch Group’s music and events businesses will be united under a cohesive brand, reinforcing its position as a leader in the live entertainment and tourism space.
Winarch Group’s next big investment in the sector will be the second annual Australian Live Music Census, released on Thursday, 28 November. The data-check is commissioned each year to understand the pulse and perceptions of Australians when it comes to their live music consumption, and will help inform venue owners, promoters, policymakers and key stakeholders, to ensure they’re prioritising what people want and need from the live music sector.
IMAGE | Winarch Group CEO, Kyle McKendry
