Esoteric Music Festival, set to take place across five fantastic days from March 7th to 11th, 2025, finds itself on shaky ground as the Buloke Shire Council has recommended the refusal of its planning permit. Established as a psychedelic music, arts, and lifestyle gathering, the festival has gained popularity since its inception in 2017, drawing vast crowds to the small western Victorian town of Donald.
Currently, with just one week until its kickoff, this year's plans are under significant threat. The council's alarming projection stems from previous health and safety concerns, especially highlighted by the 2024 festival, where more than 250 festivalgoers suffered from Shigellosis, prompting concerns about adequate health measures.
According to Buloke Shire Council CEO Wayne O'Toole, "We have been working with the event organisers, consultants and various emergency services, since receiving the planning application last year. Our officers are not satisfied with the health and safety concerns related to the safe running of the event and are, thereby, recommending the planning permit application is refused. We understand the impact this decision will have on the event organisers, patrons and the local community, as we are committed to ensuring any event within the shire is safe and compliant."
Notably, the festival's original planning permit expired last year, with the festival's organizers submitting a new ten-year permit application back in September. Despite addressing issues raised by respective authorities leading up to the festival, the council has flagged insufficient information from the organizers and lack of compliance over previous permits.
Over the past few months, the council requested additional details on at least two occasions, yet received responses deemed unsatisfactory. This has raised concerns, especially considering the council's formal recommendation. That will be put forth at the upcoming Ordinary Council Meeting scheduled for Monday, March 3rd.
O'Toole highlighted the commission's concerns about previous outbreaks of gastroenteritis last year as fundamental to their current stance: “Given the outbreak of shigellosis affecting hundreds of festivalgoers last year, the Shire stated they were not satisfied with the measures related to public health and safety to support granting of a new planning permit.” The strain, defined as Shigella, spreads quickly through contaminated food and results in symptoms like fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and stomach cramps.
Despite the specter of cancellation looming, the Esoteric Music Festival has continued to sell tickets, much to the apparent unease of local authorities and ticket holders alike. The Buloke Shire Council openly expressed their apprehensions about ticket sales continuing without the necessary approvals or permits firmly placed, which remains under the watchful eye of eventually concerned patrons.
O'Toole's comments underline the counselor's dedication to public health and safety protocols, making it clear the council aims to provide guidance for the festival organizers. The reluctance of the council echoes the gravity of the previous outbreak, as they take the responsible approach to avoid any potential repeat scenario.
Festival organizers have voiced their frustration and disbelief at the council's sudden recommendations, especially with the reality of the impending event date drawing nearer. “We’ve run this festival for eight years - except for 2021 due to COVID-19 - and we’ve always submitted our applications around the same time and they were usually approved within two to three months,” said festival managing director Sam Goldsmith.
Goldsmith's hope lies within the council's upcoming meeting, where councillors will vote on the recommendation to reject the planning permit. Organizers have indicated their expectations of between 9,000 and 10,000 attendees this year, highlighting the event's substantial economic contribution to the local community. “We anticipate around $15 million filter through local businesses as patrons come to enjoy the festival,” Goldsmith added positively when directing comments around the possible local benefit.
With so much at stake, the outcome of the meeting could have wide-reaching effects on the local economy, community morale, and the future of the Esoteric Festival itself. While the festival has undoubtedly become ingrained within the cultural fabric of the region, securing the necessary approvals is timely to support its sustained legacy.
Should things proceed positively on council resolution, organizers plan to expedite preparations to present yet another memorable experience for attendees. Conversely, if the permit is denied, local community voices will likely carry weight during the discourse surrounding event management safety protocols moving forward and how they will shape similar gatherings across the region.
The council's inventory of concerns likely expresses broader themes surrounding public health measures at large-scale events. A healthy balance must be struck as festivals play pivotal roles not only within seasonal schedules but also broader economic landscapes.
For now, the focus remains settled on the impending council meeting where the fate of the Esoteric Music Festival will be determined. With anticipation and anxiety intertwining among festivalgoers and organizers alike, Monday's outcome stands to reverberate through the local community now and well beyond the festival's anticipated dates.