Pitch festival death: ‘Most loyal’ friend Antony Maugeri remembered

A young man who died from a suspected drug overdose in sweltering conditions at a music festival on Sunday has been identified.

A festival goer who died from a suspected drug overdose amid sweltering conditions on Sunday has been identified.

He was Antony Maugeri, 23 of the northwest Melbourne suburb of Niddrie.

“Antony was the most loyal and caring human I knew not only to me but to my family as well,” a friend posted on social media.

Mr Maugeri died after attending the Pitch Music Arts Festival in Mafeking, about 250km west of Melbourne.

Organisers of the sold out five-day festival issued heat warnings as the region experienced extreme fire warnings.

Melbourne man and DJ Antony Maugeri died on Sunday.

Mr Maugeri became unresponsive about 1am Sunday, and later died at The Alfred hospital in Melbourne.

A coroners report will now be prepared.

“I could write so many great stories of times me and Antony were together but I will save that for his family to hear,” the friend said on social media.

“I am grateful for all the memories we have made over the years and I will cherish them forever. I love ya [sic] Antony rest easy,” he said.

Festival organiser Pitch Music and Arts said in a statement: “We are devastated that this has occurred at an event where community has been a driving force over the last seven years.”

“Our thoughts are with their family, friends and anyone in our wider community affected by this,” the statement said.

The organisers said they had followed guidance from the relevant authorities with regards to heat warnings.

“We cannot comment further at this time.”