ELPHINSTONE residents have forced the relocation of a music festival 30km away to Newstead.
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The Mount Alexander Shire announced the Backyard Fest's change of venues on Friday afternoon after residents took the matter to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
It was part of a protracted dispute over the wisdom of holding the festival on land zoned for farming, as well as the safety and traffic issues it could have posed.
Shire officers recommended the council knock back a planning permit for the site last February, prompting one councillor to say he did not want to do what a fictional town did in the movie Footloose.
"I don't want to be part of a council trying to put a ban on singing and dancing," Matthew Driscoll said during debate over the matter.
The council ended up voting for the festival to go ahead despite 16 community objections, despite some elected officials registering misgivings.
Mayor Tony Cordy was pleased with the latest change, saying the delay could have forced the event's cancellation.
"The 80-acre site features camping facilities, and shower and toilet blocks, making it ideal for the event," he said.
"The Committee of Management for the Racecourse is also eager to bring events back to the site after the challenges of the past year."
The weekend-long festival will run from Friday 12 - Sunday 14 November 2021 and will showcase a range of bands, DJs, yoga and art installations.
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