Falls Festival ends Tasmanian event after 17 years, with no plans to return to Marion Bay - ABC News

Falls Festival organisers have scrapped Tasmania's annual New Year's music event after 17 years.

Last year's festival in Marion Bay, in Tasmania's south, was cancelled as a result of COVID-19, but the organisers had hoped the event would return eventually.

They have now confirmed that will not happen.

The Victorian version of the event will go ahead, but it will be relocated to Pennyroyal Plains in Murroon — about 30 minutes from its usual venue in Lorne.

The Victorian leg of the event will go ahead, but will be relocated about 30 minutes from its usual venue in Lorne.(Supplied)

Jessica Ducrou is the co-chief executive of Secret Sounds, the company that operates Falls Festival. 

She and said cancelling the Marion Bay event was a difficult decision. 

"It's been a pretty challenging time during the pandemic … we have had time to consider the future for the festival through such challenging times," Ms Ducrou said. 

"The festival in Tasmania had been consistently losing money for us," she said. 

"We had reached the height of how many people would attend the festival and it is just doesn't make financial sense."

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Ms Ducrou said Secret Sounds had been in discussion with the Tasmanian government about what support was required to continue in the state. 

"They haven't been able to offer us that financial support at this stage," she said. 

"They have invested minimal amounts over the years but I don't think it's been any secret."

Grinspoon hit the Marion Bay stage in 2017.(Facebook: Double J)

The tickets sold in Tasmania were more than $100 cheaper than at the Victorian and New South Wales festivals. 

"That extra revenue that we didn't feel comfortable charging in Tasmania is the difference between breaking even and losing money," she said. 

Ms Ducrou said for Secret Sounds to consider coming back to the state, "heavy government support" would be required. 

She said, where they could, work would be offered at the mainland festivals for those who had worked at the Marion Bay event.

"We would like to thank the local community, council and various stakeholders who have supported the festival over 15 years. 

"It's been incredible and it's sad to be in this position," she said.

The first Tasmanian Falls Festival was held in 2003. 

Since then, the event has attracted international headline acts, including The Hives, Groove Armada, Childish Gambino, Halsey and Franz Ferdinand.

Pop band Enola Fall was one of the first Tasmanian bands to play at the Marion Bay festival.

Group member Joe Nuttal said it was "awful" Tasmania had lost the "legendary" event.

"It was an instrumental jump-off point for many bands here, it was such a huge thing for Tassie," Nuttal said.

"It really feels like the end of an era.

"The location at Marion Bay is also easily the nicest." 

The first Tasmanian Falls Festival event was held in 2003. (Facebook: Viridian Photos)

In a statement, Minister for Tourism, Hospitality and Events Sarah Courtney said the decision was "disappointing for many Tasmanians". 

"We understand that this hasn't been an easy decision for them following the impact of the pandemic on their business," Ms Courtney said. 

She thanked the event organisers for their "investment in Tasmania over the last 17 years, which has attracted thousands of visitors to the state and provided a boost to Tasmania's summer economy".

Ms Courtney said the government was "continuing to engage closely with the events and hospitality sector, which we know has faced many challenges due to COVID-19, and look forward to future summer events and concerts across Tasmania". 

The 2020 event at Marion Bay was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.(triple j )

Tourism Industry Council Tasmania's chief executive, Luke Martin, said the decision was very disappointing. 

"A lot of Tasmanians are probably resetting their summer holiday plans [because] it's become such a synonymous part of a Tasmanian summer," he said. 

Mr Martin said the cancellation would result in changes to the tourism market over the holiday period. 

"What it does attract is a lot of ex-pat Tasmanians who come home and stay on after Christmas to go to Falls," he said. 

"The average length of stay was seven or eight nights for people coming to Falls, which again adds to that market who are probably coming back home for Christmas or building their summer holiday around going to Falls," he said.

American hip-hop act Run The Jewels were among many overseas acts to play the festival.(Matt Green)

Mr Martin said the decision was not entirely unexpected, with the event challenging to hold. 

"We do generate a lower crowd, the ticket price is always a lot lower and we know the event organisers have pressures all over the country to bring their festivals where it is more lucrative for them," he said. 

Mr Martin said he hoped a new organisation might consider hosting an event at the Marion Bay location. 

"I think we can take an opportunity to reset and consider [whether there] is another event that might happen out of it," Mr Martin said.

The announcement comes after a tough few years for Tasmania's arts sector, with the COVID-19 pandemic causing the cancellation of the 2021 Unconformity festival in October and a shortened Dark Mofo program in June.

It also shut down theatre productions, the Taste of Tasmania and other attractions.

The 2020 Dark Mofo event was cancelled altogether.

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2021-11-04 05:25:14Z
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