Byron Music Festival will go ahead at Dening Park on Byron Bay’s foreshore in June

Wolfmother, Wharves, and The Buckleys are among the artists who have been announced to perform at the new Byron Bay event, which would have a 3000 patron capacity at its beachfront location.

Monique Hartman and Nick Sergi outside Byron Shire Council chambers in Mullumbimby after the council voted to support the use of the foreshore for their new event, Byron Music Festival.

A music festival planned for one of Byron Bay’s beachfront parklands is set to go ahead in June.

The proposed use of Dening Park at Main Beach was up for consideration by councillors at the planning meeting on Thursday.

Monique Hartman and Nick Sergi from Byron Music Festival addressed the council regarding their plans for the event, to be held at Dening Park on Saturday, June 19.

The line up includes Wolfmother, Hayley Mary, Wharves, The Buckleys and more.

Mr Sergi said their team had “worked tirelessly” to address concerns about the event in recent months.

The organisers have sought an expansion of the area where alcohol can be served, from being contained within the surf club to allowed across the festival site.

Ms Hartman said this licencing situation would be supported by local police and their security team.

She said having alcohol only sold and allowed in the surf club area would create a bottleneck issue, would pose social distancing problems and would encourage people to drink more quickly if they can’t see the stage from the bar area.

The site of Byron Music Festival, planned for Dening Park in Byron Bay.

“(Licencing and police) believe the safest way … is to have the entire site licensed,” she said.

“We’re not trying to attract an 18-25 year old crowd that’s going to binge drink and go feral.

“We just need to be able to make this sustainable as well, as a business.”

Ms Hartman said other than for bumping in the stage area, no vehicles would be allowed on site on the foreshore for the event.

Councillors voted to grant Byron Music Festival a temporary licence to operate at Dening Park, subject to market stalls on the beach side being moved back at least 12 metres from the timber fence, that any market stalls requiring vehicles be located on the south side of the path and that the “world stage” be relocated away from the dune edge to the south side of the path.

The council’s staff explained it was not feasible in the given time frame to arrange liquor licensing approvals for the entire site, which is on Crown Land, so alcohol sale and consumption will be restricted to the surf club area.

Deputy mayor Sarah Ndiaye voted against the proposal but stressed this was only on the basis of its location on Byron’s sensitive, damaged coastline.

The festival will have a 3000 patron capacity.

More information on the event is available here and tickets can be purchased here.