‘I’ve always thought the place we did it was the perfect spot’
Beef cattle farmer Matt Bowker has shown the possibilities of hosting a multi-day festival on-farm, as Loch Hart Music Festival celebrates its final event.
Victoria
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A coastal, rural, on-farm festival has had its last hurrah near Princetown.
Sixth-generation farmer Matt Bowker’s pastures and bushland have set the scene and the stage for the Loch Hart Music Festival six times. But organisers decided this year would be the final event, due to rising costs and difficulties selling tickets.
“I loved it as a celebration, and I’m sad the celebration has come to an end. I love being able to do my job every day, and I love being able to showcase this property to people,” Matt said.
He said the festival team discovered ways to ensure the festival was farm-friendly and sustainable since its inception.
Toilet facilities collected human waste and sawdust in wheelie bins to convert to fertiliser, which they spread and harrowed on paddocks around mid-year, and would spray urea after about six months, which the pasture “loved”.
“It had a real positive impact on the fertility of the ground, and a great use of a valuable commodity,” he said.
Meanwhile, food and drink vendors had reusable plates and cups to ensure minimal waste, and festivalgoers would forgo bringing glass into the paddock to ensure cattle safety.
“The ethos of the festival right from the start is people take their rubbish away and the people that come here have done it,” Matt said.
He would move his Angus/Simmental herd about two weeks before opening the gates, after it had been grazed and cow poo had dried.
He also recently secured a covenant for the farm’s bush areas.
“I wanted to protect what I can… And make sure we’re striving to keep the habitat for the birds, and it’s an important part of managing the farm,” he said.
“I’ve loved the idea of doing a festival and I’ve always thought the place we did it was the perfect spot.”
Colac export and festival organiser Jayden Bath, alongside partner Tess Birch, launched the festival in 2018.
“The further you get from Melbourne, the more authentic and Australian the countryside gets,” he said.
“Princetown is one of the most authentic places I’ve been to, everything there is as it was, and untouched. You can sense it, look around and nothing has changed there for thousands of years.
“It was nice to go out on such a fun and emotional festival.”
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Originally published as ‘I’ve always thought the place we did it was the perfect spot’
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