YOUR SAY: What Southern Downs residents really think of popular festival Rabbits Eat Lettuce

Southern Downs residents have laid their feelings bare about the future of a popular music and arts festival that’s 2025 event now hangs in the balance, with a majority of residents divided over the controversial event. Here’s what you had to say.

A popular Southern Downs music festival is at risk of having its upcoming event postponed as it continues to wait for approval from the regional council.

Music and arts festival Rabbits Eat Lettuce could see its iconic Easter long weekend event at Cherrabah Resort pushed back, with the events organiser blaming ‘political roadblocks’.

With just over a month until the event is scheduled to go ahead, festival organiser Erik Lamir has released a statement pleading with council to make a decision on the temporary entertainment event permit at the next meeting on March 19.

“The fate of this year’s festival now rests squarely in the hands of the Southern Downs councillors, which are yet to add the REL Temporary Entertainment Event Permit application to the meeting agenda for discussion and a vote at their next council meeting,” the statement said.

“REL 2025 has support from QLD Police, QLD Ambulance and QLD Fire Department for the festival and is otherwise ready to proceed at Cherrabah Resort.

Last year the event made national headlines as the first music and arts festival in Queensland to bring in pill testing, in a bid to make the event safer and provide education for recreational drug users.

This wasn’t the first time the festival made national headlines, sparking controversy in 2019 when two revellers were found dead from a drug overdose, supporting the importance of hosting pill testing sites at music festivals.

The future of the popular festival has caused quite the divide within community members on social media, with some labelling it a ‘drug festival’, while others pointed out the significant revenue the event raises for the region’s economy as well as its tourism.

Rabbits Eat Lettuce music festival has sparked tension in the Southern Downs as the fate if this year’s festival rests in the hands of Southern Downs Regional Council. Picture, John Gass

‘NOT WANTED, NOT NEEDED’

For those who strongly opposed the festival going ahead, noise and consuming illicit substances were high among the list of reasons, with some arguing there’s no economic benefit from the event.

“No. they can take their drugs somewhere else,” Jen Anderson wrote.

“Nope not wanted, not needed,” Andrew Southern wrote.

“To give you some idea of the noise created by these festivals they could be heard 22 km away inside houses in Legume,” Stuart Bell wrote.

“Good decision made by council. We don’t need vegan activist’s high on drugs,” Graham Mauch wrote.

‘LET PEOPLE HAVE FUN’

While a number of residents came to the festivals aid, defending the tourism and funding it brings into the community.

“My confusion is why you wouldn’t want it out there? No one complains about how noisy the rodeo is yet it’s so close to the centre of town,” Joshua Forbes wrote.

“Eh, let people have fun,” Bonnie Darling wrote.

“Absolutely it should go ahead. Large events are crucial to Warwick’s ongoing tourism blueprint and economy. These people come out and spend $$ here either side of the festival. A little noise and a few extra people around is a small price to pay. Bring it on,” Jonno Colfs wrote.

“Does the Mayor have a plan to support the local businesses that are about to lose thousands in bookings and foot traffic this close to Easter?

With people already cancelling their travel plans all across SEQLD shutting down a $3m event last minute is just another blow to the region when it’s needed most,” Jordyn Toohill wrote.

“Surely a couple of days noise a year won’t kill anyone considering I’m not that much interested in jumpers and jazz but still have to deal with the sound of jazz music,” Sarah Vidler wrote.

“Why not. I won’t be going personally but plenty of people will. Why should we say no to something that doesn’t interest us,” Chris Chandler wrote.

Originally published as YOUR SAY: What Southern Downs residents really think of popular festival Rabbits Eat Lettuce