Revellers at the annual four-day Falls Festival on Victoria's Great Ocean Road have been told to pack up and leave, with the event cancelled due to extreme weather conditions.
About 9,000 festivalgoers will have until 9am on Monday to leave the Lorne site - with time to sober up - before predicted extreme weather kicks off in the Otways and the surrounding region which poses a risk to health and patron safety, organisers say.
The four-day festival opened on Friday and was due to have revellers partying into 2020.
But the predicted extreme weather conditions in the Otways and the surrounding region poses too great a risk to health and patron safety, organisers say.
"We are gutted to make this call but the safety of our patrons, artists and staff is our main priority," organisers Secret Sounds Co chief executive Jessica Ducrou said on Sunday, adding the decision had been made with emergency stakeholders.
Victorian Country Fire Authority crews in action. Extreme conditions continue to bake Victoria. Source: AAP
"Please take care getting home safely."
The festival announced the cancellation via Facebook.
“It is with a heavy heart we have had to cancel the remaining days of The Falls Festival in Lorne due to the predicted extreme weather conditions forecast for Monday, December 30th in the Otways and surrounding region, creating a risk to health and safety due to potential fires, smoke, severe winds and tree hazards,” the festival announced via Facebook.
“The decision has not been made lightly, our patron and staff safety is our priority.
"Forecasted conditions have gotten significantly worse in the past 12 hours, with information coming to light that has not been available to us before the event kicked off on December 28th. After consultation with local and regional fire authorities and other emergency stakeholders, it is clear that we have no other option. While conditions are fine at time of writing, we are taking the opportunity to move everyone offsite safely and in good time.”
Party-goers are urged not to go back to Lorne or other coastal towns as the same extreme weather conditions are in place, while the Otways faces an extreme fire risk.
An information centre will be set up in Geelong.
Full ticket refunds - including booking and payment processing fees - will be processed from Monday back to the original purchaser's credit card.
Halsey, Vampire Weekend and Disclosure were due to headline the Victorian festival.
Other Falls Festivals will still go ahead in Byron Bay, NSW, South Australia and Freemantle, Western Australia and Tasmania.
Tasmanian police are urging those attending the Marion Bay, which starts on Sunday, to take extra heat precautions.
Halsey performs on Day Two of The Falls Festival at Mt Duneed Winery in 2015. Source: NOISE11
“To ensure everyone has a safe environment to enjoy the Falls Festival, there’ll be a high police presence on-site for the duration of the event,” Senior Sergeant Brenda Orr said.
NSW Police Force also called on Byron Bay festival atendees to take care, saying officers will also be targeting illict drug use.
“As we have done so previously, NSW Police have been working closely with event organisers and stakeholders to ensure Falls is safe for all event staff, performers and music fans,” Tweed/Byron Police District Commander, Superintendent Dave Roptell said.
“NSW Police will continue to proactively target illicit drug supply; those who choose to bring illegal drugs into the festival can expect to be caught and dealt with accordingly. Festival-goers who choose to do the wrong thing not only put their own safety at risk, but also the safety of those around them."
Fire risk in Victoria
The bushfire risk remains high in Victoria, with residents in the state’s far east told to flee their homes amid worsening conditions.
An emergency warning is in place for Bonang, Cabanandra, Deddick Valley, Dellicknora, Tubbut and Amboyne, in the state's East Gippsland region, with people urged to leave immediately
"Leaving now is the safest option before conditions become too dangerous," the alert first issued on Saturday night said.
"Emergency services may not be able to help you if you decide to stay."
