Iconic New Year’s Eve music event Falls Festival will live on, after a south-west Victorian council granted a two-year permit that will give the festival a new home.
Colac-Otway Shire Council voted this week to approve the festival’s move from near Lorne on the Great Ocean Road to a farm outside the small town of Birregurra.
The application for the new festival site received 24 objections and 14 submissions in support of the three-day event.
Colac Otway Mayor Kate Hansen said the approval followed a “lengthy” decision-making process.
The concerns raised included whether neighbouring farms would be able to continue their agricultural businesses and maintain the security and welfare of livestock, as well as concerns about noise and traffic.
"We had a submission hearing a few weeks ago that went for almost two hours where we heard from some objectors, we heard from the applicants, and we heard from some supporters of the event," Ms Hansen said.
Ms Hansen said councillors took the objectors concerns seriously and would continue conversations with local farm owners about how best to mitigate disruptions.
The three-day event, which will run from December 29-31, was approved with a four-three majority vote, with about 40 conditions festival organisers will have to meet attached to the approval.
Rocking into the New Year
Falls Festival began in 1993 as a single-day event in Lorne, but has grown to feature legs in Fremantle, Byron Bay, and previously Marion Bay in Tasmania.
Its original Lorne site has been threatened by bushfires in the past and the festival went into hiatus during the pandemic.
But organisers have rebounded with a line-up for this summer that includes international acts Arctic Monkeys, Chvrches, and Lil Nas X.
Colac musician and music store owner Tosh-Jake Finnigan, said he was excited about the prospect of seeing some of his favourite acts close to home.
"If we can show touring agencies that this region's a viable stopover for a small festival we'll be able to see more of these types of events pop up rather than just the once-in-a-year shot in the arm."
Ms Hansen said council and businesses hoped this festival and others like it would boost tourism and stimulate business activity in the Colac-Otway region.
"The opportunities are there for businesses, to sort of tap into the event to try and capture festival-goers as they drive through Colac," Ms Hansen said.
"The big advantage for the event is that it supports the local music industry and we're hoping that there'll be opportunities for local artists."
