Falls withdraws from VCAT dispute

THE proposed permanent new home for Falls Festival is up in the air, as organisers withdrew from a dispute with objectors at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).

Held in Lorne for more than two decades, Falls announced in late 2021 that the next edition of the annual New Year’s Eve music festival would be held at Murroon, south of Birregurra.

The shift was supported by the Colac Otway Shire, which granted a planning permit for a 2022 event, but not by some local landholders, who took their objections to VCAT earlier this year.

Last week, Falls Festival producer and Secret Sounds Co chief executive officer Jessica Ducrou announced the festival had initiated the process to withdraw from the VCAT planning approval process for the Murroon location.

“Unfortunately, following initial compulsory mediation, the parties could not achieve a resolution and a hearing was set for late February [or] early March next year,” Ms Ducrou said.

“Given the time and expense, we have decided to withdraw from the approval process. The festival industry is recovering from the pandemic and a long, expensive process pursuing this application is something we’ll need to reassess in the new year.

“It has taken two years of consultation and planning permit approval processes to get to this point and despite support from the local community and Colac Otway Council, the process has been stalled by the objectors through VCAT.”

The 2022 event was relocated to the Sidney Myer Music Bowl and is still going ahead.