Falls Festival heads to Byron Bay as mayor proposes NYE lockout

POPULAR New Year's music festival adds Byron Bay leg as local authorities warn the town will have a New Year's Eve lockout.

Byron Bay gets Falls Festival

IF you want to party in Byron Bay this New Year's Eve, you better book a ticket for the first Falls Music and Arts festival to be staged there as the local mayor is planning to lock out the town to everyone but locals and tourists with accommodation.

Byron Shire Mayor Simon Richardson said the lock out was a zero tolerance measure they want to explore to curb alcohol-fuelled violence and destruction of property in the town.

"(But) our message will be clear, we have no room and zero tolerance for those who want to party in town and trash the Bay," he said.

"We're aiming for Byron Bay to be closed on New Year Eve. If you aren't a local Byron Shire resident, booked into an accommodation place, or an employee working on the night, you'll need to purchase a park-n-ride ticket or you won't get in."

Pictures: Falls Festival 2009

Boy and Bear to play Falls Festival

The shire have welcomed the expansion of Falls to Byron Bay from their long-running events in the Victorian coastal town of Lorne and Tasmania's Marion Bay.

The addition of a four-day event at the North Byron Parklands was a no-brainer as the Splendour In The Grass promoters, who are co-owners of the site, bought a share of the Falls Festival last year.

Their announcement of the third leg of the event claims the festival was invited to stage another festival by the Byron Shire Council who have "marked the event as a perfect fit for the idyllic beach town".

"We're really excited to be heading North and expanding this year, the Byron Bay location couldn't be better suited to everything that has always encompassed Falls in Lorne and Marion Bay. Coastal and charming natural settings; a destination for our patrons to travel for," Falls founder Simon Daly said.

Falls Festival Byron Bay director Brandon Saul said the event would create employment and help train local youth in related skills.

"Apart from locals' involvement in the festival itself through programming local acts, arts activities, staffing and locals' tickets, Falls Festival Byron Bay will contribute funds and expertise to assist with the running of council events and activities planned for Byron Bay township over the New Year period," Mr Saul said.

"We'll also be running a youth skills program that will give local youth hands-on experience and mentoring in carpentry, construction, bush regeneration and event management."

The Byron Bay leg will be staged from December 31 to January 3 for over 18s only with line-up and ticketing details expected in coming weeks.

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