News: April 6th 2011, The Western Australian "Hippie Parties Worrying Cops"

[puckboy]

Hippie parties worrying cops
RONAN O'CONNELL, The West Australian
April 6, 2011, 5:27 am

Police are concerned about an increase in dangerous "hippie" parties in bush where revellers aged from their teens into their 50s binge on drugs.

Boddington officer in charge Sgt Mick Sears said a bush party in Bannister at the weekend at which a 16-year-old boy was treated for a drug overdose and 16 people were charged with drug offences was just one of many similar events which had taken place in bush south of Perth.

Sgt Sears said the parties were advertised through social networking websites rather than traditional media in an apparent attempt to keep them secret from police and other authorities.

Police had found evidence of numerous bush parties held in bush south of Perth in recent months and at Easter last year charged several people with drug offences after they uncovered a similar "hippie" event in a national park at Mount Cook.

The party in Bannister which went from Saturday night through to the early hours of Sunday morning had been attended by 300 people ranging from underage teenagers to people in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s.

Police stopped more than 70 cars as they left the party, charging four motorists with drink driving and 16 people with possession of drugs including cannabis and LSD.

Sgt Sears said the organisers of the party had brought their own generators to power lights and sound systems.

"We were surprised by just how many people had drugs at this party," he said. "They were all dressed like hippies and very polite but there were a lot of people affected by drugs."

First time I've seen an article about an event (doof) like this in the newspaper, thought some of you may find it interesting.

edit: sorry should have edited the title to include the articles headline of "Hippie parties worrying cops" if any mods want to change.

 

[Fieldy]

this is hilarious. Australia is becoming to much of a police nation it is really stupid!

 

[Divine Moments]

"They were all dressed like hippies and very polite but there were a lot of people affected by drugs."

Classic :D

 

[Sustanon]

Thats the end of doofs haha

 

[Juvenile]

far out. They were already fairly secretive I thought. (having wanted to go to one for a while but never been close enough to the info to get more than a couple of day's notice when one is on)

Guess they will just have to drive further away from the city.

 

[sonic_reality]

yeh it was pretty hectic... glad the guy ended up ok in the end, he was not looking good for a while there. a good example of why teenagers should not take psychs, especially in the stupidly high amounts this guy did! and because of his stupid mistake, it has put the whole perth doof scene in the spotlight! it's been in the papers twice this week now!!

please people... think about your doses before you take them. if you're gonna dose big, do it at home. have some respect for the people(and organisers) around you at doofs, who may not want to have to deal with yet another flipout!!

 

[Crankinit]

Ahhh, nothing like a bit of good old fashioned moral panic...

 

[Busty St Clare]

Thats the end of doofs haha

It had to come I guess.

I have never been a fan of young teenagers at doofs. I don't mind little kids, because as a whole it is a peaceful event and generally their parents create a pretty chilled environment. But I always cringe when I see 10-11 yr olds just roaming around a doof. When I see one of these kids fire twirling like a pro I can't help but wonder what other "skills" they happen to pick up over the weekend.

The local police in Qld are usually pretty chilled with local doofs. They set up drug buses on the way in and out, but unless you are an idiot they let the hippies be. I'm sure things will change if some kid flips out the bush or there is a stabbing or something similar.

Things will just go more underground I guess. Make friends while you can people.

 

[heythatsmybike]

The network will never be destroyed. There are too many benefits from these parties, mostly the amount of business brought into the towns local to the party. Think about how much the support means to a town like beaufort or marysborough, both areas affected by flood.

 

[pisspotnrock]

The network will never be destroyed. There are too many benefits from these parties, mostly the amount of business brought into the towns local to the party. Think about how much the support means to a town like beaufort or marysborough, both areas affected by flood.

But the scene in Perth where this actually happened is very tight and not really heard of.. Not to mention its 10's of KM's from the closest 'town' of Armadale, which considering the small turn up of the actual doof I dont think it would bring much if any business to that suburb.. haha actually come to think about it, the IGA there sells nangs (the first supermarket Ive ever heard/seen of selling nangs) so I guess they would make a killing there

 

[heythatsmybike]

Yeah One of the iga stores (no need to mention) stocks up with thousands of them. I'd imagine that money alone would be amazing. 12000 people over 5 days requires a lot of food, and they always serve well. I've noticed all the workers have massive smiles and and always excited to help. I suppose I can't compare the WA scene to Victoria though, just isn't the same.

 

[malakaix]

Yeah the scene in Perth is pretty subtle; but all it really takes is a situation such as the above for it to spill out into the media.

It's interesting to observe the degree in which the crowd has changed over the years, as organizers come and go.. the agenda behind the party's also change, instead of the messages been kept strictly to text messages.. there been advertised through the facebook events pages, and even though these are 'Private' and the directions arn't publically posted there still reaching a shitload more people then if they were advertised through word of mouth.

There also been held more often in the same locations, that are extremely easy to find. If your advertising to more people, and holding the parties in the same easily accessible locations, your generating alot more profit in the process. The Doofs have increased in size and production greatly in the last few years; and what's happened was only a matter of time.

The underground will simply go further underground.

We actually got banned from holding Earthdance at Bencubbin after 2009 because the excessive use of drugs brought alot of unwanted attention to the town, despite the profit they gained by been host to more then 1500 people over 2-3 days.

 

[TripppAR]

that's no good!


oh well....the scene is fillin' up with meth headz anyways!


nah can't beat a good doof... never had a problem nor seen one. Seen the odd freakout..hell even CAUSED a couple ... but its never that bad and everyone is there to help and support whenever shit goes down.


Everyone gets ya... which you cant say once you leave the doof!