Record nominations for our very-own local music awards indicate the heath of the industry in the Orana region.

Dubbo Original Music Awards (the DOMAs) aim to not only celebrate the creativity and talent of our music community, but also to encourage local artists in what is a very tough field.

“This is the fifth one we’ve held, and the awards recognise a range of categories: live music, albums, singles, live recordings, it’s about encouraging the industry, event manager Timothy Hosking explained.

“This year we’ve got 55 nominations, a record that includes over dozen original singles entrants… nominees across the seven peer-voted categories, span genres from rock and country to metal, acoustic, and gospel,” he added.

The DOMAs will this year cover awards including Original Single of 2025, Album/EP of 2025, Music Video of 2025, Single/Album Artwork of 2025, and Local Original Gig Photo of 2025.

The awards are a now annual initiative of the Songwriters and Original Musicians Association Dubbo (SOMAD) group; a grassroots not-for-profit tasked with “transforming Dubbo into a Music City”, of which Hosking is a committee member.

Going all the way back to legendary electro new wave fusion band, “The Reels” in the 1970s and 1980s, and quintessential pub rockers, “Thirsty Merc”, two decades later, Dubbo popular music has a fine pedigree, Hosking believes,

“I think we compare favourably to other places when it comes to our music, and these awards are about raising that profile in the community.

“We have music ranging from heavy rock, country, folk, and acoustic artists across a range of genres.”

This year the awards are also introducing a new addition, public voting over two new categories: People’s Choice Original Single and People’s Choice Best Live Act.

These categories aim to increase community engagement and encourage wider support for local artists and the awards themselves, Hosking revealed.

Most award categories are determined through a combination of peer voting by members of the Songwriters and Original Musicians of Dubbo Association (SOMAD) and assessment by a specialist judging panel.

Two special honours — Services to Dubbo Original Music and Rising Star of 2025 — will also be selected by the SOMAD committee this year.

The DOMAs Awards Ceremony will also feature live performances and will be held at the Macquarie Conservatorium Main Hall in Bultje Street from 7pm next Wednesday, December 3.

“We’d love to see as many people as possible at this event… everyone is welcome to attend and celebrate Dubbo’s vibrant and diverse original music scene,” Hosking said.

“It’s a testament to the incredible diversity and strength of Dubbo’s music scene, and to the local songwriters and performers that SOMAD is proud to support, it should be a great night,” he concluded.

Tickets are only $10 and are available through 123Tix.