General News
5 March, 2026
Council 'blindsided' by Esoteric-like music festival this weekend
REINCARNATION of an infamous electronic music festival has sent a North Central council into a spin.
REINCARNATION of an infamous electronic music festival has sent a North Central council into a spin.
Buloke Shire says it had been "blindsided" and sent scrambling for information as partygoers talk online about the festival that expected to take place this weekend, a year after the Esoteric rave at Donald was canned and its company sent into administration.
"Insanely excited" Esoteric fans have labelled the 2026 three-day festival near Lake Wooroonook a Tribute Gathering.
Music artist Tessellate told online fans its Tribute Gathering program, likening this event to the controversially cancelled Esoteric Festival. Bush-doof music followers have also started online conversations about plans to attend the festival.
"If you were at the cancelled Eso renegade last year, you'll know how awesome this is going to be," they said.
Buloke Mayor Graeme Milne confirmed council was only told about the festival on Wednesday and "hadn't been given a lot of details on the matter".
He said council executives had since met with Victoria Police.
"We have been alerted, something is going on," he said.
"There was then a briefing so everyone could get an understanding of what was going on.
"We're not 100 per cent sure where they're meeting, whether it's private or public land. If it's private land, they don't need a permit, but none of that has come to us."
Promotion of the Tribute Gathering comes after the 2025 Esoteric Music Festival was cancelled the night before it was set to go ahead on the March long weekend.
Buloke Shire had given Esoteric the green light, however a building surveyor refused to grant a permit, leading to the event's cancellation.
Cr Milne said council's support of the event last year made this news more "disappointing".
"As a council who did their level best last year to get Esoteric over the line, and some within the building order will disagree with that," he said.
"But as a councillor who did so much to get it up and running, I'm just a little bit disappointed that someone would do this to us in the face of still trying to get an Esoteric-like festival going if that's what the organisers want.
"As long as they abide by the rules and they do everything right, then there will be no hassles.
"We're happy for these things to happen, we just don't want to be blindsided and put in a position where people are going to be put at risk."
St Arnaud police Senior Sergeant Tim Thomson confirmed local officers had been "made aware" of the event and would be on hand for support of other local police if needed.
MORE TO COME
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