Want To Hold Your Wedding At The Home Of Bluesfest? Now You Can

Byron Bay's Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, the home of Bluesfest, is looking to broaden its scope of events in the wake of the news that Byron Shire Council has approved an application for the establishment of a community event site at the grounds.

The application was received with unanimous approval by the shire's councillors, with the decision paving the way for a number of additional events to be held at the site, within a set of conditions. As a result of the deal, Tyagarah will be able to host 10 days of events for up to 25,000 people (including Bluesfest), 10 days of events for up to 15,000 people, and 100 days of events for up to 2000 people.

Among the events likely to find their way to the site are Boomerang Festival, which will call the farm its home when it achieves its crowdfunding goal to become a standalone event, while the boosted number of small events will not only allow Bluesfest promoter Peter Noble and his people to start bringing one-day concerts to the site, but be primarily allotted for community use — events such as farmers' markets and even wedding receptions, which could be held in the yet-to-be-built functions centre that has arisen from the agreement.

Locals needn't worry about the added traffic to the site, however. As consulting town planner Damian Chapelle, from Newton Denny Chapelle, explained, "The assessment of the events application was exhaustive and ensured all matters associated with noise, traffic and the environment were addressed in the public interest."

For his part, Noble — who also serves as Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm's community event site manager — admitted that the site "didn't get everything [it] wanted from Byron Council" in its application, but despite the disappointment was pleased that it "did get an approval where we have certainty in our future".

"The fear from our neighbours that we may have wanted to do another major festival on the site was addressed by council in a manner that met our approval, and seemingly those in attendance at council chambers," Noble continued in his statement. "It is not likely that there will be any new events for some time to come.

"First we will build the infrastructure so that there is a functions centre on site, as well as, in time, permanent shower and toilet facilities and food and beverage areas.

"We would like to see our site be used by the community for functions, including wedding receptions and other community events. We also received an approval to do one-day concerts, as well as one more festival, which we intend to be the Boomerang Festival, Byron's Indigenous event, which we are passionate about."

The 27th Byron Bay Bluesfest will be held at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm from Thursday 24 March to Monday 28 March. Five-, three- and one-day passes are still available, but selling fast. See the festival's website, Moshtix or Ticketmaster for more information.