'The best days of my life': Cold Chisel still rocking 50 years on

One of Australia's biggest rock bands is reuniting to mark a special milestone.

Rock legends Cold Chisel will embark on a national tour in October to ring in 50 years of rock royalty.

The Big Five-O tour will see the band spend seven weeks on the road, wrapping up in Adelaide, where it all began in 1974.

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At the time, frontman Jimmy Barnes was just 16, and his bandmates Don Walker, Ian Moss, Phil Small and Steve Prestwich were not much older.

Countless hits and five decades later, Barnes joked the idea for the reunion tour "just came up".

"We all sort of thought about it, some of us more than others," Barnes said.

"I know I was keen to have a play ... I just thought 50 years on we had to celebrate somehow."

Speaking to Nine Entertainment editor Richard Wilkins, Barnes also opened up about how a blood infection that nearly cost him his life.

"When that happened last year I was probably healthier than I was when I was in Cold Chisel originally," Barnes recalled.

"I think for me one of the things that really solidified we should be doing stuff is, we're here for a good time not a long time."

It all came to down to wanting to "seize the day and play music with my brothers", Barnes said.

"I'm not one to take it easy! That's never been in my nature," he said.

"The time I've spent on stage with these guys, some of that time has been the best days of my life and the best moments of my life.

"Those things that just warm my heart ... these are the people I love making music with."

Tickets for Cold Chisel's Big Five-O tour are on sale next Tuesday.

For details, head to coldchisel.com