Lost Paradise cancelled 2019: Bushfires force music festival closure
The annual Lost Paradise music festival, held over New Year’s Eve north of Sydney has been cancelled as several bushfires in the area ravage hundreds of thousands of hectares.
Confidential
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The annual Lost Paradise Music Festival has been scrapped due to the ongoing risk of bushfires in NSW.
Organisers of the festival, which generated headlines last December after the drug overdose death of Joshua Tam, made the decision to cancel the event in the Glenworth Valley that was due to be headlined by Rufus Du Sol as fires ravage hundreds of thousands of hectares in the area.
“After extensive consultation with the Rural Fire Service, emergency personnel and other key stakeholders, the difficult decision has been made to cancel this year’s Lost Paradise festival,” a statement read.
“Our beautiful home in Sydney’s Central Coast is facing intense and unpredictable fire conditions that are sadly expected to deteriorate. We simply cannot put anyone’s life at risk. We have been working around the clock to explore all possible options to relocate the festival, but it is just not feasible within the time frame.”
The festival was to be held in Glenworth Valley north of Sydney from December 28 to January 1 with other artists on the line-up including the Hilltop Hoods, Matt Corby, Golden Features, Green Velvet, Dom Dolla, Honey Dijon, The Veronicas, Set Mo, Lime Cordiale and FlexMami.
The Three Mile bushfire is currently burning several kilometres to the west of Glenworth Valley in the Dharug National Park, Lower Mangrove and Central Mangrove areas.
“We are truly devastated that we won’t be able to bring the festival to life,” organisers wrote.
“We would also like to express our immense gratitude for the brave emergency teams who are doing all that they can to protect the bushland around the site. This is a heartbreaking time for our country. Our thoughts are with the affected communities across Australia, and the hero firefighters who continue to work in extreme conditions.”
Festival goers will be eligible for a refund with organisers working with ticketing providers and insurers to ensure refunds are paid as soon as possible.
In December 2018, 22-year-old Tam died when he suffered an adverse reaction to taking MDMA at the festival.
