Australian Comedy Legend Austen Tayshus Is Coming to Forster
For the first time ever, Wharf St. Distillery is bringing live comedy to Forster — and we’re kicking things off with one of the biggest and most unmistakable names in Australian comedy.
On Friday, 21 August 2026, Austen Tayshus will take over Wharf St. for one huge night as part of his national 43rd Anniversary of Australiana Tour.
Austen Tayshus exploded onto the Australian comedy scene in the early 1980s and quickly became a genuine cultural icon. His legendary spoken-word comedy single Australiana reached number one, achieved double-platinum sales and remains one of the most recognisable Australian comedy recordings ever made.
Packed with rapid-fire Australian puns and unforgettable wordplay, Australiana became far more than a comedy track. It became part of Australian popular culture — quoted at barbecues, in pubs and around family tables for more than four decades.
Now, 43 years after its release, Austen is taking the show around the country and bringing it to Forster for one night only.
Fearless, unpredictable and completely unfiltered
Austen Tayshus remains one of Australia’s most compelling and unpredictable live performers.
His shows combine razor-sharp observations, rapid-fire wordplay, brilliant storytelling and fearless audience interaction. No two performances are ever exactly the same, and nobody in the room is completely safe from becoming part of the show.
This will not be a quiet night at the theatre.
It will be a proper Friday night out at Wharf St. — drinks flowing, an Australiana-inspired menu, a room full of dressed-up Aussies and one bloody comedy legend live on stage.
Pull out your best 1980s Aussie outfit
Because we’re taking it all the way back to 1983, we’re also turning the night into an Australian-themed dress-up party.
Think footy shorts, mullets, double denim, terry-towelling hats, zinc cream, flannies, thongs and anything else gloriously Australian from the era.
Whether you go all-out or simply add a touch of retro Australia to your outfit, we want to see Wharf St. filled with the very best — and worst — of 1980s Aussie fashion.
A huge first for Wharf St.
This will be the first live comedy event ever held at Wharf St. Distillery, and we couldn’t think of a better performer to launch it.
“Austen Tayshus is completely unique, brilliantly funny and still one of the most compelling live performers in the country,” Wharf St. Managing Director Tim Cooke said.
“We wanted our first comedy night to feel like a proper event rather than just another night out. With Austen, the dress-up theme, the food and the atmosphere, it’s going to be an unforgettable Friday night in Forster.”
A support act will warm up the room before Austen takes the stage from 8:00 pm.
Event details
Austen Tayshus — 43rd Anniversary of Australiana Tour
Date: Friday, 21 August 2026
Doors open: 6:00 pm
Show begins: 8:00 pm
Venue: Wharf St. Distillery, Forster
Dress: Your best 1980s Australian outfit (optional)
Tickets: $30 per person
Tickets are limited, so round up your mates, find your most questionable Aussie outfit and get ready for a huge night of live comedy at Wharf St.
Wear your Aussie best from 1983 and don’t miss this one-night-only show.
