Their hail included the prestigious Country Music Album of the Year award for their #1 ARIA Country chart album Endless along with Contemporary Country Album of the Year (Endless) and Country Music Capital News Group or Duo of the Year.

It was a powerful moment when they performed their thought-provoking Don’t Wish It All Away cementing their status as Australia’s number one country group. 

Travis Collins and Amber Lawrence were celebrating after also collecting three awards from their six nominations. 

Their first collaboration together, Our Backyard, saw them take home, Regional Australia Bank Vocal Collaboration of the Year, APRA AMCOS Song of the Year and Single of the Year, which also saw the song’s co-writer, Matt Scullion collect a Golden Guitar.

With country music celebrating our people, our land, and our spirit, Travis and Amber’s performance of Our Backyard in the opening act was a vibrant celebration of just that - our land and its diverse geographic nature. 

Alt-Country Album of the Year winner Kasey Chambers became the 51st person to be honoured with the industry's most prestigious award - The Australasian Country Music Roll of Renown. 

In making the presentation, last year's winner, Troy Cassar-Daley, said that Kasey had earned the admiration and respect of both her industry peers and her multitude of fans, all over the world. 

“Time and time again,” Troy said, “she has demonstrated her extraordinary ability to connect with country and mainstream audiences in both Australia and overseas.”

Rounding out the album of the year awards was Ashleigh Dallas with her album Lighthouse awarded the inaugural Traditional Country Album of the Year, which also saw her father Brett Dallas accept a Golden Guitar for producing the album.

Golden Guitars for Male and Female Artist of the Year went to Shane Nicholson and Aleyce Simmonds.

This is Nicholson’s 10th Golden Guitar Award and Simmonds’ first. 

The win tops off a big year for the independent artist who adds the Golden Guitar to her growing list of awards including 2017 APRA AMCOS Country Work of the Year, 2017 Independent Artist of the Year and 2017 Independent Female Vocalist of the Year. 

Tom Curtain and Luke O’Shea’s Never Never Land performance was another great moment in the show that celebrated our land and nature and won the artists two Awards on the night including, Toyota Heritage Song of the Year and CMC Video Clip of the Year.

Other dual Award winners include the Davidson Brothers who have picked up Bluegrass Recording of the Year (Back Where I Started) and Coca-Cola Instrumental of the Year (Evelyn’s Kitchen).

QantasLink New Talent of the Year went to Brad Butcher and Bush Ballad of the Year to Dean Perrett (Henbury Blues) and its writer Neville Anderson.

The event also saw the awarding of the previously announced 2018 Sanity Top Selling Album of the Year Golden Guitar Award, which went to country super-star Lee Kernaghan for The 25th Anniversary Album.  

The album, which is largely made up of collaborations fit perfectly into the theme of the night which was all about celebrating the collaborative nature of country music. 

In keeping with that theme, the show closed with an extraordinary performance of Waltzing Australia by The Bushwackers & John Williamson and The Bush Choir. 

The awards were held at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre during the annual Tamworth Country Music Festival.