INTEREST groups have continued to clash over Buloke Shire Council’s refusal to host the Maitreya Music and Arts Festival, scheduled to take place at Wooroonook Lakes across the March long weekend.
Buloke Shire councillors decided last month at their February business meeting to reject Maitreya promoter Lachlan Bell’s planning permit to hold the event which was estimated to inject $2 million into the local economy.
The shire said it could not issue a permit after festival organisers failed to produce appropriate risk management documents, such as insurance, security bonds, emergency contingency plans and agreements with Liquor Licensing and Ambulance Victoria.
This week, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) turned down an appeal launched by Mr Bell to overturn the council’s decision on a technicality.
Mr Bell argued the planning permit could still be accepted if the festival was re-categorised under the same section in the Planning Act applied to small-scale, non-commercial community events such as Australia Day breakfasts.
VCAT dismissed Mr Bell’s argument, also taking into consideration that he’d failed to obtain the consent of Parks Victoria — who own a portion of the land at the site — and a cultural heritage management plan, given the lakes are cultural heritage-listed.
While the council has continued to defend its decision, and blames festival organisers for their lack of preparation, community members from Charlton and district have condemned council following their handling of the application process.
Meanwhile, festival organisers have continued with plans to stage the festival which was set to celebrate its 10th anniversary at the Wooroonook Lakes site without insurance or a permit, as ticket-holders across the country criticise them for their continued public silence.
This is the story of how an unprepared “bush doof” tore a community apart.
For more on this story, grab a copy of Friday’s Guardian (March 4).
