Kimberley Gold, an Aboriginal band from remote Western Australia, have marked their comeback at the Tamworth Country Music Festival after a three-year hiatus.
The band includes Peter Brandy on lead guitar, Cleve Stretch on second lead, Eddie Yaloot on bass guitar, and Danny Calwyn on drums.
Despite prior tour cancellations linked to pandemic restrictions and rare Kimberley flooding, the band covered more than 4,000 kilometres from Halls Creek to showcase their resilience through performances and busking at Tamworth.
Drummer Danny Calwyn said heavy rain and floods led them to change their route through the Northern Territory and East Kimberley.
"We were lucky to get away this time around," he said
"I was supposed to bring my family across by road, but lucky we didn't because there is a fair bit of rain up that way again, and the old river's been coming up."
Festival manager Barry Harley mentioned the crowd's happiness at Kimberley Gold's return.
"I think what got them through those challenges was simply they love their music and they love entertaining," he told ABC.
"People were just energised by their energy."
Mr Calwyn said he was grateful their performances put a spotlight on the Kimberley, and he hoped to soon tour across "his own backyard".
"Every song we do always gets a good applause from the crowd," he said.
"They all enjoy our music … whether they are published songs or originals."
Bass guitarist Eddie Yaloot, unfortunately, couldn't perform on Tuesday night at Toyota Park due to asthma and pneumonia.
Mr. Calwyn mentioned Yaloot's recovery progress is doing fine, with him being cared for in a local hospital.