LETTERS: Residents concerned about festival issues

HERE is a message from the small close-knit country town of Peak Crossing to enlighten readers of how we feel about Ivory's Rock Convention Centre hosting Earth Frequency Festival in our usually tranquil neighbourhood.
January 12, 2016 - 3:00PM

ISSUES RAISED: Earth Frequency Festival 2016 isn't hitting the right notes with some locals.

Your article states, "After listening to community concerns, the organiser of Earth Frequency Festival is going to donate 1% of his gross ticket sales back to the Scenic Rim Council community fund as a thank you to the local area and a gesture of goodwill"

This so called 'thank you / gesture of good will' does nothing to reduce the negative impacts this festival has imposed on the local residents for the previous two events.

Ivory's Rock Convention & Events Centre is situated within the Ipswich City Council & the Temporary Entertainment Licence applied for to hold this event was sourced through Ipswich City Council. So, why then are funds being donated to the Scenic Rim Council. 1% of the gross ticket sales should also be donated to the Ipswich City Council community fund.

Or more importantly - what about the local residents who have had to endure this event and forgo sleep for 4 days & 3 nights?

How are they being compensated? And - after listening to resident concerns re noise disturbance - the event organiser will reduce his event running hours from 3 stages - 24 hours a day to 3 stages running at just 17 hours a day + one smaller stage running from midnight to 7am - how considerate of him !

Music played at the 2015 event was heard by residents as far away as 7km from the venue for the duration of the event - right through the night with a total disregard for local residents & the local community.

Local residents are not happy with the event organisers so called considerate changes to his 2016 event program and are not supportive of this event taking place in our neighbourhood due to the noise impacts, loss of our amenity, trespassing, littering & public urination / defecation & other negative impacts experienced during previous EFF events. We believe there was even a death at the 2015 EFF event.

Deaths at music festivals around Australia are heavily publicised in the media yet if there was one this one was kept under wrap by Ivory's Rock Convention Centre due to fear of negative publicity.

We intend to take our concerns up with the relevant authorities to have further Earth Frequency Festival events moved to a more appropriate venue where local residents peaceful and quiet lifestyle will not be disrupted.

KARLA CARVOLTH, Peak Crossing