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bill's memorial party...this sunday!

V

VooDoo Gurl

Bluelighter
Joined
Jan 7, 2001
Messages
191
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Hello all,
We have run into a snag when organizing ~bill's memorial party.
We had planned to have a day party next weekend up near Nojee/Warburton at the site from where ~bill went missing. However, despite strong support from the NRE, the local police have vetoed the idea of letting any sort of party occur there. Obviously they are still a bit spooked by ~bill's death and are currently reviewing the safety of that area as a campsite.
So we are asking for input from people on where and when to have an outdoor-day-party. We would still like to aim for as soon as possible so we'll have a better chance at nice weather but April 20th/21st is fast approaching...
Thanks...
**title edited April 23rd**
[ 23 April 2002: Message edited by: VooDoo Gurl ]
Update - the party is all go ahead for this Sunday. Check out the events thread for directions.
[ 07 May 2002: Message edited by: VooDoo Gurl ]
 
Ange
i don't know the area well at all, but i went to a small party in warburton a while ago (bill was there, i think u were too!) which i don't think was same site as arcadia...
i don't know if u remember but it was in a state forest near a river, a picnic ground kinda place, small but pretty...would be really good for your memorial party...i've still got the flyer with a map showing where it was.... (also a good friend of mine - u know him - used to live in warburton, i'm sure he would know a few good places up there)
[ 11 April 2002: Message edited by: Space Frog ]
 
If aproaching councils or park rangers, make sure to say it's a BBQ not a party... and then make sure someone actually brings a BBQ too... ;)
On a selfish note I'd probably prefer it if it wasn't too far from Melbourne, but in spite of that I'll still be there if you put it on the moon... :)
 
Here is a copy of the email that we received from a woman at the NRE that Kinetikid contacted about this. I've eliminated names to protect the innocent...
I have been in contact with the Warragul police, in paticular Sgt. X. In light of my conversation with him, I withdraw the opportunity for you to apply for a permit for a final gathering/party at the Poplars. At the present time it is inappropriate for such an event to be held in this region, whilst a coroner's inquiry is still underway. There are several issues which need to be resolved between NRE , the Police and other authorities with regards to these events, a point which was made clear to me by X.
At this stage there are too many risks involved with an event like this, and I would envisage that it would be unlikely that an event like Arcadia would be held in this region again whilst NRE permitting guidelines and protocols are consequently up for review on a statewide level.
Please note: The Department in conjunction with the Victorian Police will be regularly carrying out enforcement blitzs of the State Forest to prevent illegal rave party events. Offenders will be heavily fined and prosecuted. Should you hold an event without an authorised NRE permit then you will be deemed responsible for holding an illegal event.
I am sorry to have raised your hopes yesterday.
So...we are not sure how to proceed. And, Tars, we are looking into the site where that BL party was but our fear is that we will not be able to get a permit because of the statewide review.
Does anyone know if the site (near Laverton) where Astral Projection was supposed to play last year is private property?
[ 11 April 2002: Message edited by: VooDoo Gurl ]
Click to expand...
 
^^^^^
I'm fairly sure it's public property, but I'm not 100%...
Is this going to be a day party which goes on over night afterwards? Because if not then all you need to do is say it's a BBQ - unless more than 500 people show up. It's not an organised public gathering unless there's more than 500 people or you're charging admission and restricting entry, so as long as you don't use the word "party" i don't think it'd be a problem...
I'll try and get in contact with someone about the laverton astral site and will post info if I get it... :)
 
OK, just spoke to Brad from KillRockStar about the Astral Recovery site...
Apparantly the reason it was allowed to be used was because there is "community precedent" for that area - ie: there have been events in the past which haven't had any problems or complaints. It's also public property, so I don't see how there'd be any huge drama's, especially if it's a day party.
He also said that the only local close to the area might be worth talking to - he lives just off the left of the end of Dohgherty's Rd we think... it might pay to maybe mention what's going to be going on down there - apparantly he's pretty cool. I guess it also depends on the size of soundsystem you plan to use, because even with a thumping one like larger parties use you can only just hear it at his house, so i'd say you'll be fine in that respect too... :)
This site would be good too because it's not too far from the CBD and more people will be able to come... :)
 
So we emailed the NRE people again to ask exactly what this statewide review means and what kind of event we would be allowed to have. Here is the response that we got:
All I can suggest at this stage, would be for Bill's friends to have a modest picnic or camp at the Poplars in your own time. At this stage I am not prepared to get involved with any more permitting of dance parties in State Forest until we have recieved some formal notification from the police, and the recommendations from this flow on to our statewide recreation co-ordinator.
These are the directives of my manager and my own sentiments also.
I would like to bring to your attention that NRE is in the process of prosecuting some individuals for holding illegal bush raves, so please don't consider this as an option. At the moment the whole dance party scene is suffering a reputation crisis within many governement agencies and locally also, so laying low for a while might be a good idea. The issues of general safety, professional security and insurance/public liability are too big to ignore in the current climate, which I'm sure you would have noticed in the news.
You could perhaps look around to see if there are local landholders who may be
agreeable to leasing their property to you. X may be able to help
you with contacts there. You would then be dealing directly with the Baw Baw
Shire and local police to get approvals, not NRE. Good Luck....
I empathise and understand that this is an emtional time for many of you.
Regards,
XX
Furthermore, rumour has it that all requests for permits for outdoor venues have presently been put on hold. It looks like assorted party-unfriendly organizations will use ~bill's accidental death as an excuse to crush the outdoor party scene.
Knowing how much ~bill loved outdoor parties, is that not the most ironic thing you've ever heard?
I wonder if I should explain to them that a "modest" picnic would still probably result in a couple of hundred people showing up....
[ 11 April 2002: Message edited by: VooDoo Gurl ]
[ 11 April 2002: Message edited by: VooDoo Gurl ]
Click to expand...
 
Particularly ironic considering it seems the party contributed in no way to the tragedy (except for enticing Bill out of his bed in Richmond and into the Forest).
This really could have happened to someone just camping there with friends.
 
i diddnt want to say out loud in case i jinxed it heh :( but i had a bad feeling it might be just the reason/excuse the anti bush rave party thing people need to help convice the gov and the public that now, along with drugs, death is often partaken in at these kind of parties... :(
ironic indeed :)
 
Voodoo Girl.
As i said to mort at kinetik.
The DFC are all willing to help in any way we can.
If u need anything you have my number, just let me know.
Laverton sounds good though..
 
Remember Laverton isn't state forest - it's a reserve... I think that should make a big difference legally, but I'd like to check on that before giving false reasurance... :)
 
As members of the DFC, myself and Noc_chick shall lend any assistance we can to the memmorial party of our founder.
 
Just to update people on the bushdoof vs. authorities situation.
I think that there are alot of issues to be concerned about if people want outdoor parties to continue. We were worried that Bill's death (which was a freak accident according to unofficial information from the pathologist) was going to result in a whole heap of uninformed and stupid decisions being made by assorted permit-granting agencies. Mort spoke to the woman from the NRE and the jist of his feelings on the conversation is:
The NRE are cautious about using the site in Warburton - due to the fact that there have been 6 missing people in that area recently, 3 of which were fatal.
They are NOT stopping permit applications state wide, nor are they using this tragedy as a platform for changing the way things are being done re: outdoor parties at this time.
Overall, I felt much better after talking to her - and I felt she really did have the best intentions at heart. Her difficulty was that the police and citizens in that area are really sensitive of any large groups of people being up there because of the recent tragedies.
Additionally, she said she was very supportive of the outdoor party scene - and she certainly didn't intend to accuse us of doing things illegally and apologised for bowing to legal bureaucracy where she felt compelled to "cover her arse" by putting the warnings in.
But - it does mean we'll have to find somewhere else to go...
So the options that we will be exploring are (a) the site near Laverton (b) the site of the BL party last year out near Healesville (c) private property near Geelong.
Again, thanks everyone for your support. Hopefully, we'll have more info early next week :)
Click to expand...
 
id like to put a hand up for laverton, i think thats one of the best venues for an outdoor party ive been to :) Sounds like it might b not so hard to use during the day?
 
things that go bump in the night
usually give pple abit of a fright
funny sounds u hear in the dark
shadows at which the doggies bark
dont be afraid of things like that
dont think somethings looming black
its a figure of friendly light
its my friend there glowing white.
 
Otherwise my uncle owns property in Noogee, I will checkout what he thinks of the idea.
[ 20 April 2002: Message edited by: CrazeeFee ]
 
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