How a Popular Bush Doof Festival Became a Gastro Nightmare — and Now Faces the Axe

A popular bush doof festival in Victoria is now facing uncertainty as a local council aims to prevent its occurrence due to health and safety issues following a gastro outbreak last year. The Esoteric Psychedelic Circus Festival, scheduled for Labor Day weekend in Donald, is under threat.

The Buloke Shire Council has recommended that the planning permit for the 2025 festival be denied, citing inadequate information from the festival organizers. Despite multiple requests for additional details in October and December, the council did not receive a satisfactory response.

The Esoteric Festival, known for its celebration of psychedelic music and art, has been a staple in the Australian bush doof culture. However, ticket sales for the upcoming festival continued without the necessary permit. Social media activity from the festival grounds showed that preparations were underway, with equipment and neon signs being set up.

This decision by the Buloke Shire Council comes after over 250 attendees reported symptoms of gastroenteritis following last year's event in March. The Victorian Department of Health later confirmed that there was an outbreak of Shigella, a highly infectious disease that is transmitted through contaminated food and the faecal-oral route. Symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and fever.

Wayne O'Toole, the Chief Executive Officer of Buloke Shire Council, expressed concerns about the safety measures surrounding the festival. He stated that the council has collaborated with event organizers and emergency services but concluded that health and safety obligations have not been sufficiently met. As a result, they recommend that the planning permit be denied.

O'Toole acknowledged the disappointment this decision may cause among organizers, festival-goers, and the local community but emphasized the priority of safety and compliance for events held in the shire.

Sam Goldsmith, managing director of the Esoteric Music Festival, shared his surprise at the council's hindrances, asserting that they had adequately addressed safety concerns for the event to proceed smoothly. He highlighted that the festival has been successfully organized for eight years, with permit approvals typically granted within two to three months.

The festival anticipates drawing between 9,000 to 10,000 attendees and expects to inject about $15 million into the local economy. The fate of the festival will be determined at a council meeting scheduled for March 3, just four days before the event is supposed to begin. Goldsmith remains optimistic that council members will support the festival’s continuation.

“If things don’t happen that way, we will address that at the time,” he said, expressing hope for a positive outcome.

festival, health, safety