Farmer Wants A Wife star Jarrad Wrigley to perform at music festival

A farmer without a wife has decided to stay wedded to his music career, build his fan base in north-west Tasmania and pick up some roustabout work on the side in coming weeks.

Jarrad Wrigley, who became a familiar face to reality television watchers on Farmer Wants a Wife, will be among the talented lineup of performers at a charity country music festival at Preston on November 29.

Run by the Preston Community Centre and the Ulverstone Lions Club, the camp-in concert will raise money for “Every Move Matters” – a Lions Club initiative to raise $100,000 for four portable humidicribs and two bariatric beds for the North-West Regional Hospital.  

Zac Weeks, a popular local talent who recently featured at the Deni Ute Muster, and Australian Idol and 2025 Independent Country Music Awards finalist Jake Whittaker, will join Jarrad who is back after performing at Preston and the Launceston Rodeo earlier this year.

Jarrad, 23, said he’s looking forward to showing more people that music is his first love.

“Going on Farmer Wants A Wife drew comments that I did it to build my music career, but the reality is it held it up - right when I was gaining momentum and getting plenty of gigs,” he said.

“Unfortunately, my relationship with Chloe only lasted a few months after the show, a culmination of the reality of real life and other pressures setting in, but we’ll always be able to get together for a drink and a laugh.

“I have no regrets, I’d 100 percent do it again, but for now I’m single and I’d rather people got to know me away from the cameras.”

Living and doing farmhand work on his musical mentor James Blundell’s Queensland property, frees Jarrad up to tour the east coast of Australia and play at music festivals such as the Gympie Music Muster and Tamworth Country Music Festival, and he’s able to take care of the farm when James is away.

On his last visit to Tasmania Jarrad picked up some fencing work with Stephen Hayes and this time around he’ll be shadowing former Elders livestock agent David “Scratchy” Talbot on his Evandale property and helping out in the shearing sheds.

“Whenever I get the chance I like to spend time on different properties, compare how farmers do things with their livestock and basically shut my mouth and listen,” Jarrad said.

“I’m particularly interested in speckle park cattle and when I eventually buy my own property it will be all about the cattle.”

Jarrad’s family owns several large properties in New South Wales and has a history of cattle, dairy and tree farming, but after high school and then studying a Bachelor of Music in Brisbane, pursuing a singing career became his focus.

Getting married and having a family and a farm of his own is something he’s looking forward to in the future.

For now it’s all about the music and his new Maremma Anatolian shepherd cross pup.

“Well put it this way, music doesn’t break up with me,” he laughed.

The Preston Country Clash will be held at the Preston Recreation Ground (gates open at 10am) on November 29. Music from 2pm. Main acts from 5pm. Food and refreshments on site. Tickets through Oztix or at the gate $50. Camping is free.