Talks collapse in search for Falls Festival’s new Victorian home

A future Victorian location for the long-running Falls Festival is now in doubt, as organisers have withdrawn from a planning process for a proposed site in Murroon, 35km from the festival’s original home in Lorne.

The three-day music festival will go ahead this year as planned, on December 29, 30 and 31, at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne, but the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) process set down for late February and early March, to help identify a future regional site, has been abandoned.

Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys, who headline Falls Downtown in Melbourne this month.Credit: Getty Images

The last Falls Festival in Victoria, on the former Lorne site in 2019, was cancelled due to a bushfire emergency. The following two years were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Falls producer and chief executive of Secret Sounds, Jessica Ducrou, said that despite support from Colac Otway Shire Council and the nearby Birregurra community, event organisers will re-assess the VCAT approval process next year.

Unfortunately, following initial compulsory mediation, the parties could not achieve a resolution.

Jessica Ducrou

“A small group of objectors opposed the planning permit approval for Falls Birregurra in Murroon, and applied to VCAT to put a halt to it,” Ducrou said in a statement released Friday afternoon.

Falls Festival producer and Secret Sounds chief executive officer, Jessica Ducrou.

“Unfortunately, following initial compulsory mediation, the parties could not achieve a resolution.

“Given the time and expense, we have decided to withdraw from the approval process.

“It has taken two years of consultation and planning permit approval processes to get to this point and despite support ... the process has been stalled by the objectors through VCAT.”

The annual festival had been held in Lorne since 1993, and has expanded to now include events in Byron Bay and Fremantle. The festival was also staged in Tasmania from 2003 until 2019.

A proposal to relocate the Lorne event was approved by Colac Otway Shire in June, but that decision was appealed by residents opposed to the festival taking place at Murroon.

English rock band Arctic Monkeys, American rapper Lil Nas X, and Scottish pop band Chvrches are headlining this year’s event – branded as Falls Downtown at the Music Bowl – while organisers will continue to seek a new permanent home for the event.

“We know from numerous economic impact studies of these events in the past that they provide the area with tens of millions of dollars in economic stimulus and short-term employment for locals over the period of the festival,” Ducrou said.

Colac Otway Shire Council mayor Chris Potter said the council was “looking forward to the social, cultural and economic benefits” a major event would bring to the region.

“We are disappointed that Secret Sounds has had to withdraw from the VCAT process at this time, but look forward to continuing to work with them on future opportunities,” he said.

Up to 18,000 are expected to attend each of the three days at Falls Downtown in Melbourne this month. The event also features Peggy Gou, Jamie xx, G-Flip, Amyl and the Sniffers, Ocean Alley, Spacey Jane and more.

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