Vol. No. Vol. 2618No. 3527
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Wednesday, January 13, 2024 2016 Wednesday, March 13,
FIN-TASTIC: Bonnie, Emily and Curtis Morson, of Horsham, were three of the more than 1000 people aiming to reel a fish in at Horsham Fishing Competition on Sunday. More than 550 fish were caught during the event, which took place as temperatures soared to 38 degrees. Story, page 5. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
Festival fiasco
T
BY LAUREN HENRY
he future of a music festival near Moyston, west of Ararat, remains in doubt after the event was slammed for continuing to proceed during a heatwave and extreme fire risk. Pitch Music Festival, a three-day event, drew criticism across the weekend after organisers waited until being directed by authorities on Sunday to cancel their seventh annual festival at the site between Moyston and Mafeking. A 23-year-old Melbourne man died from a suspected drug-overdose at the
festival after he was flown to The Alfred hospital at 1am on Sunday. An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson said paramedics attended a total of five incidents involving suspected substance use in Mafeking on Saturday and Sunday. Despite authorities on Friday declaring Saturday to be a total fire ban in the South West and Wimmera districts, Pitch Music Festival organisers did not cancel their event. Instead, organisers posted on the event’s Facebook page and on signs at the site: ‘CFA recommends the safest option for those who are already on site is to leave the site tonight or early
in the morning’, and ‘for those arriving on Saturday to delay their arrival until further notice’, causing confusion among revellers. Many festival attendees, of which there were up to 18,000 across the weekend, travelled to Moyston by bus, were camping at the site, and had limited phone coverage to receive emergency alerts. Member for Lowan Emma Kealy said Pitch organisers had ‘shown flagrant disregard’ for the CFA, police, Ararat Rural City Council and festival-goers. She said organisers should have cancelled the festival when they were first
alerted to the extreme heat and fire warnings. Ms Kealy contacted Mental Health Minister Ingrid Stitt and Emergency Services Minister Jaclyn Symes on Friday to ask for them to intervene and stop the event. “CFA volunteers have been flat-out for three weeks fighting fires,” she said. “The last thing they need on an extreme fire day is to be fighting Pitch Festival organisers and begging them to take responsibility for the health and safety of their patrons. “Organisers are happy to take patrons’ money, but their responsibil-
ity seems to stop at the gate.” Festival organisers said they took extra precautions to provide more shade, misting fans, extended shower times, hubs stocked with sunscreen, misters and electrolytes, as well as a 24-hour medical team. Organisers said after consultation on Saturday morning with personnel from the CFA, police and other members of the emergency management teams, the festival would start at 6pm on Saturday, but still advised those yet to arrive at the site to follow the CFA directions to delay their travel. Continued page 6
IN THIS ISSUE • New kindergarten plan • Council delivers projects • Football-netball countdown artisanHP0886
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Fifty Years of Florries
How will you prepare your Florrie? Sandwich, or plate with salad or veg?