In under three weeks, five Warrnambool friends have organised a mammoth live music and community event all in the name of the devastating Victorian bushfires.
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Warrnambool's Garry Roberts, Tom O'Connor, Nick Alexander, Brayden Newett and Jade Gabbe were eating lunch at The Flying Horse when they decided enough was enough.
"There's a lot of local businesses doing great things for the bushfires but there was no one doing anything Warrnambool-based on the grand scheme of things," Mr Roberts said.
"We were having lunch and just talking about what we could do.
"The fires are so big, they've burnt down people's homes and now they have to rebuild their lives.
"We kept saying we had to do something, it's good to talk about the situation but we wanted to act."
Armed with only their desire to help out but no experience, the boys quickly set to work on creating 'Coast Aid' and found assistance through WDEA and Warrnambool City Council who guided them through the events process and sponsorship.
"We've had two weeks of preparation and we're all working full-time jobs as well," Mr Roberts said.
"Everything has been put together quickly but the right way.
"It went from us approaching people to them approaching us within a few day and then it all took off."
Coast Aid will be held on January 27 at Lake Pertobe.
From 12pm there will be children's activities including Colour Angel for all your face painting needs, three jumping castles courtesy of Boing Amusements and the Country Fire Authority will bring along their tanker.
A jam packed live music line-up to entertain you throughout the afternoon begins from 1pm and includes Flynn Gurry, Gabby Steel, Cooper Lower, Mitch and Jackson, The Monaros, 4Wide, The Gatecrashers and headliners Find Your Voice Choir.
Sow and Piglets will be behind the bar from 4pm and a stack of food vendors including Twisto, Sandy's Fairyfloss, Jet's Dumplings, Bambino's, 31 Below ice cream, and Bean Cruisin' will be on deck all afternoon.
"It's a big day, eight hours, and we wanted to make sure everyone could be a part of it," Mr Roberts said.
"We wanted to have something for everyone so it made it easier for people to give what they can.
"It's about bringing people together for a cause.
"You never know who could be affected by these bushfires and to see people coming together would mean a lot."
Entry is free to Coast Aid with multiple ways to donate throughout the day including donation tins and each vendor is donating a substantial amount of their sales to the cause.
Alongside around 40 volunteers help on the day, the friends couldn't have put together their event without the support and donations from Live Audio Productions, Coastes Hire, Grand Events, Kevin Mcelguenn and RNM Security.
"We couldn't have done it without the co-operation and support of the community," Mr O'Connor said.
"We started the Facebook page this past Wednesday and we already have so many likes, almost two thousand people have said they're interested in the event and our posts have reached over 33,000 people.
"It's awesome."
The boys said there's a possibility to continue Coast Aid for another cause next year depending on Monday's event success.
Head down to Lake Pertobe from noon on Monday and enjoy an afternoon of entertainment, food and drink and support the Victorian Bushfire Appeal.
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