Mardi Gras Fair Day festival cancelled over asbestos discovery

A popular annual festival has been cancelled a few days out after a potentially deadly substance was found at the venue.

A widespread asbestos contamination has now impacted a popular annual festival in Sydney.

Mardi Gras Fair Day has been cancelled four days out from the event after asbestos was discovered in Victoria Park, near the city’s CBD.

The organisers, City of Sydney, were informed of the site’s possible contamination on Monday with EPA officers undertaking tests earlier this week which returned positive results for bonded asbestos.

It comes as the EPA confirms a total of 22 sites across Sydney are contamination sites, prompting the closure of parks, building sites, schools and train stations.

Mardi Gras Fair Day in Victoria Park has been cancelled over asbestos contamination. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

City of Sydney trucks and school children in Sydney's Prince Alfred Park after the site was urgently tested. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar

Mardi Gras chef executive Gil Beckwith said the decision “breaks our hearts” but the community’s wellbeing is of the highest importance.

“Fair Day is one of our most loved events, and is attended by over 70,000 people each year,” she said. “It breaks our heart to see this Sunday not go ahead, but given the safety concerns, we must put our communities’ wellbeing first.

“The rest of our festival continues unchanged, offering many chances over the 17 days for our communities to come together in celebration and solidarity.”

Sydney's Rozelle Parklands is closed not long after it opened in December last year due to asbestos being found in the park. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

Other highlights of the annual event, including the Mardi Gras Parade and Bondi Beach Party will go ahead as planned.

Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore said it was an “incredibly disappointing” decision.

“The NSW government and the EPA must make sure this never happens again,” she said.Asbestos has been found in two other city parks including Belmore Park in Haymarket and Harmony Park in Surry Hills, with licensed removalists working fast to clear the sites.

Over the coming weeks, another 32 parks will be tested across the city where the council believes the contaminated mulch product may have been used.

The areas will be taped off and signs will be erected to inform visitors of the potential contamination ahead of more testing.

“We urge everyone to avoid the mulched garden beds and mulched areas under trees at these parks while the inspections are being carried out,” a City of Sydney spokesperson said.

Families have been assured that affected mulch has not been used in park playgrounds.

Asbestos is a fibrous substance that can become trapped in the lungs if breathed in.

Exposure to asbestos increases the risk of developing cancers of the lung, ovary and larynx as well as mesothelioma (cancer of the lining of the lung), according to the Cancer Council.

About 22 sites across the city have been found to contain asbestos. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

The list of parks that will be tested in the coming weeks:

• Arcadia Park, Forest Lodge
• AV Henry Reserve, Forest Lodge
• Bicentennial Park 1, Glebe
• Bicentennial Park 2, Glebe
• Blackwattle Bay Park, Glebe
• Chippendale Green, Chippendale
• Clyne Reserve, Millers Point
• Cook & Phillip Park, Sydney
• Creek Street Reserve, Forest Lodge
• Dr H J Foley Rest Park, Glebe
• Frog Hollow Reserve, Surry Hills
• Giba Park, Pyrmont
• Harold Park, Forest Lodge
• James Watkinson Reserve, Pyrmont
• John Street Reserve, Glebe
• Jubilee Park, Glebe
• Larkin Street Park, Camperdown
• Minogue Reserve, Glebe
• Munn Reserve, Millers Point
• Observatory Hill Park, Millers Point
• Orphan School Creek, Forest Lodge
• Paradise Reserve, Pyrmont
• Pirrama Park, Pyrmont
• Pottinger Park West, Dawes Point
• Quarry St Streetscape & Steps, Ultimo
• Robyn Kemmis Reserve, Glebe
• Seamer Street Reserve, Glebe
• St James Park, Glebe
• Stewart Street Glebe Reserve, Glebe
• Toxteth Park, Glebe
• Wentworth Park, Ultimo
• Wood Street Playground, Forest Lodge