After weeks of drama, regional Victoria’s beloved Maitreya Festival has been officially cancelled.
Organisers took to Facebook today to announce that the 10th anniversary edition of the bush doof would no longer be going ahead.
“We are really sorry: Cancelled [sic],” their statement reads. “Due to circumstances beyond our control it is with a heavy heart that I now come to inform you that the Festival will not proceed as planned.
“We’ve tried every possible avenue of keeping our beautiful festival afloat, but unfortunately as of early this morning that is no longer possible. We will provide you a full update as soon as we can. We’re so sorry for this and are beyond devastated ourselves.”
The bitter saga surrounding Maitreya began when the local council denied its permit to return to its longtime home of Wooroonook Lakes just weeks out from the event, claiming that organisers had failed to provide all of the appropriate documentation.
But vowing to fight council til the bitter end, the festival’s architects sourced a new location for the event, “just down the road” from the original site.
However, police and authorities issued a statement this week urging punters not to attend Maitreya, and cautioning them about its potential dodginess.
The event was scheduled to kick off tomorrow, Friday 11th March at its secret location, but will now no longer go ahead.
The electronic music and alternative lifestyle festival last year raked in more than $2.1 into the pockets of local businesses in the drought-stricken Buloke Shire in the north-west of Victoria.
Read organisers’ official statement about its cancellation below.
UPDATE 11/03/16: The local council of Buloke Shire have hit out at organisers’ subsequent claims that weather was to blame for the festival’s cancellation.
We are really sorry but Maitreya 2016 has been cancelled. Due to circumstances beyond our control it is with a heavy... Posted by Yourtreya Festival on Wednesday, March 9, 2016
