The Esoteric Music Festival, set to take place this weekend from March 7 to 11, 2025, has been officially cancelled, bringing disappointment to thousands of attendees. The announcement was made on the evening of March 6th, just hours before the festival was due to begin, following the refusal of the necessary permits by the local council.
The Buloke Shire Council initially voted on March 3rd to approve the event, expressing overwhelming community support and granting a one-year planning permit subject to 47 conditions. At the time, it seemed like the festival was all set to proceed, with organizers expecting over 11,000 attendees for the annual gathering at Donald, Victoria. Many festival-goers were already on their way or had arrived at the remote venue.
Just two days later, the festival’s application for a Place of Public Entertainment (POPE-OP) was rejected by the Council’s Municipal Building Surveyor, who cited 33 grounds for refusal, primarily focusing on safety and compliance issues. The council made it clear this decision could not be overturned even with initial council approval.
“The POPE-OP is required under the Building Act 1993,” explained a spokesperson for the Council. "The decision to refuse it aligns with the health and safety concerns raised by council officers.” Concerns were certainly not unfounded, as the last Esoteric Festival had also made headlines when over 250 attendees fell ill due to a gastroenteritis outbreak.
Faced with the denial of the necessary permits, festival organizers appealed to the State Building Surveyor, Steven Baxas, but he upheld the council’s decision. “To say we are disappointed is perhaps the biggest understatement of the year – we are gutted,” expressed festival managing director Sam Goldsmith, reflecting the frustration of both staff and ticket holders who had anticipated this eight-year-old event.
Goldsmith described the severity of the situation and the financial ramifications for local businesses. “This is a devastating blow for everyone involved – from our patrons to the local businesses who depended on this festival for their revenue.” He emphasized the festival’s role as a lifeline for regional tourism, claiming it has injected more than $15 million annually to the local economy.
Despite their continued assertion of safety and compliance, the easy illusion of the festival materializing soon shattered. Other attendees began voicing their frustrations via social media as news broke about the unexpected cancellation. “People have been waiting for hours, many of them drinking, and now they’re all getting turned back out onto the roads,” lamented one festival goer.
Goldsmith has urged ticket holders to retain their stubs for future events and has assured all attendees they will receive full refunds. Meanwhile, local businesses are bracing for the financial fallout; some have already witnessed cancellations of reservations as festival-goers reconsider their stay. Andrew, general manager of the Donald Riverside Motel, expressed his frustration at the timing of the cancellation. “This has left me and many others reeling. I’m still in shock over this last-minute change,” he stated, concerned about losing significant business.
Local volunteer John McConville noted the large crowds immediately turned away from the festival entrance, saying the local community quickly mobilized to help those stranded. “The crowd was magnificent – people felt for the town. We had local football clubs offering showers and food, trying to accommodate the large number of visitors caught off guard by the news.”
With the cancellation hanging heavy over Donald, community sentiment fluctuated between anger at apparent bureaucratic incompetence and sympathy for the thousands left without their weekend plans. The mood on the ground reflects both concern for public safety and frustration over the festival’s tenuous fate.
The official cancellation brings to light the bureaucratic challenges faced by large events, particularly those like the Esoteric Music Festival, which are often seen as both cultural landmarks and economic necessities for small towns. Whether through the state or local government, the festival organizers will have to navigate these complicated channels to find success again.
Looking forward, Goldsmith noted the possibility of rescheduling but has confirmed plans to postpone the event until 2026, effectively leaving attendees with stuck memories of this year’s shattered expectations. With no definitive resolutions yet on the immediate logistical chaos caused by the cancellation, the future remains uncertain for both the festival and the communities it involves.