Esoteric Music Festival Under Threat As Council Attempts To Block Permit

The upcoming Esoteric Music Festival in the western Victorian town of Donald appears to be under threat, with the local council recommending the refusal of the event’s planning permit.

The festival, which is scheduled to take place across five days from March 7th – 11th, is described as a “psychedelic music, arts and lifestyle gathering,” has been running since 2017 and is often attended by vast crowds.

Following the festival’s 2024 event, their five-year planning permit expired, with an application for a new ten-year permit being submitted in September. For this year’s event to take place, approval of the application is obviously required.

With just a week to go until its 2025 launch, officers from the Buloke Shire Council have now both advised organisers to cancel the festival, and recommended the refusal of the planning permit based on “significant health and safety concerns.”

Notably, the 2024 edition of the Esoteric Music Festival made headlines after more than 250 festivalgoers were affected by an outbreak of Shigellosis.

The Council have cited last year’s outbreak, along with a lack of adherence to a previous Place of Public Entertainment Occupancy Permit (POPE-OP) and a current Building Order, as the reasons for this recommendation of refusal.

Further requests for information were made by the Council following last year’s planning application, though a “satisfactory response to these requests was not received”, and the the Esoteric Music Festival is reportedly continuing ticket sales for its upcoming event “without the necessary approvals and permits in place.”

“We have been working with the event organisers, consultants and various emergency services, since receiving the planning application last year,” said Wayne O’Toole, Buloke Shire Council CEO. “However our officers are not satisfied that the health and safety concerns in relation to the safe running of the event have been met and are therefore recommending the planning permit application is refused.

“We understand the impact this decision will have on the event organisers, patrons and the local community, and acknowledge their disappointment but we are also committed to ensuring any event within the shire is safe and compliant.”

At the time of publication, Esoteric Music Festival have not responded to a request for comment from TheMusic.

An Ordinary Council Meeting is scheduled to take place on Monday, March 3rd where the recommendation for the refusal of the application will be put forward for consideration.

However, a press release from the Buloke Shire Council notes that even if the planning permit is approved, organisers will still require a POPE-OP which “likely to also be refused due to similar concerns with the health and safety of patrons.”

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