Aussies slammed over disgraceful act at summer season music pageant: ‘Lazy’
Revellers have been slammed after turning a multi-day music festival into a dumping ground and leaving behind piles of rubbish.
The site of Beyond The Valley, in regional Victoria, was left covered in abandoned tents and camping equipment as festival-goers departed on New Year’s Day.
The event was created in 2014 and runs from December 28 to 31.
As music lovers left the sold-out event, many didn’t bother reading the event’s website, which stated: ‘We’re lucky to celebrate here, and part of that means taking care of the land while we do.’
‘Like any good festival, everyone is expected to bin their rubbish, take home what they bring and leave their campsite as they found it.
‘It’s simple, and it makes a big difference. No lectures here – just the bottom line on how to keep your space (and ours) clean.’
Larissa Stubbings, 20, saw firsthand just how bad the event site was left after she was forced to stay a little longer after encountering car trouble.
‘We were able to gather literally everything we needed: new tents, blow-up mattresses, water and so much unopened food,’ she told the ABC.
Many who attended the Beyond The Valley festival left camping gear behind
Festival-goers had fun, but many were also happy to leave a mess
‘It was really surreal; it felt like we were shopping because there was so much left behind.’
‘Everyone is really tired after a multi-day festival, but I didn’t think people were that lazy or careless.’
Green Music Australia, a registered charity that aims to create a greener future for the music industry, said rubbish and waste left after festivals has been a problem for some time.
Chief executive Berish Bilander said more than half of the waste produced at festivals comes from campsites.
He said many buy cheap camping gear deliberately, knowing they will leave it behind after days of partying.
Mr Bilander called for a cultural shift among festival-goers.
‘The mess we’re seeing at festivals like BTV is driven by three things: culture, practical options and product quality,’ he told Daily Mail.
‘Most people going to festivals aren’t regular campers and would avoid buying gear if there were affordable alternatives, like renting or borrowing equipment. They just need somewhere to sleep and a place to hang out for a few nights.’
The Beyond The Valley event was sold out leading up to New Year’s Eve
Mess left behind at music festivals has long been a problem in Australia
Green Music Australia claims one in three tents taken to a music festival are left behind.
Joshua Davies ran the Lost Paradise event on the NSW Central Coast recently and experienced a similar phenomenon.
‘It really is a growing culture of consumerism, buying something extremely cheap knowing you’ll only use it once,’ he said.
‘But it’s nothing new — we’ve seen it for decades, but cheap products are easier than ever to obtain.’
Mr Davies even had to bring in removalist trucks to clean up abandoned camping gear, which he gave to charities.
‘Festival organisers need to be frank with patrons and show them the aftermath of their fun,’ he said.
Daily Mail contacted Beyond the Valley for further comment.
