ConFest

ConFest is an alternative bush campout festival held in the south-eastern states of Australia annually during and around Easter.^[1] The name 'ConFest' is a concatenation of the words Conference and Festival.^[2] ConFest was initiated in 1976, and organised by the then Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, Dr. Jim Cairns, his private secretary Junie Morosi and David Ditchburn. It was and is intended to bring together the various subcultures of the alternative movement, and was billed as "An Exploration of Alternatives".

The event has been run almost continuously by the same cooperative society; The Down To Earth Co-op (DTE), based in Victoria. ConFest now hosts some 7000 participants annually for a 5-day festival over the Australia's Easter long weekend. The current ConFest Site is located to the West of Deniliquin and about 12km from Moulamein in New South Wales. The area is open forest with the Edward River running along the southern side of the property.

Features

Spontaneous choir Easter ConFest 2014

Confest is typically divided up in to a number of discreet "villages" situated along a tree-lined river. These villages host a number of themed "spaces" where participants host workshops that are listed on an open agenda board displayed centrally in the festival. Workshops typically include yoga, meditation, permaculture, arts, music, and sexuality.^[3] However, many of the spaces are open to a range of eclectic and diverse topics. Villages also host shared kitchen spaces where communal cooking and food sharing is encouraged. The extensive Arts Village hosts many of the festivals major gathering points. This includes a riverside beach where many participants go to swim, visit the steam room, or have a massage in a clothing-optional environment.^[4]

Villages surround a central open paddock which hosts a food and arts marketplace. This marketplace is the only location within the festival where money is used. It also hosts a number of activities such as a spontaneous choir and informal fashion parade. Surrounding the marketplace is dedicated area for fire-twirling, an information tent where participants can find out about the various villages and workshops, and a silent disco space.

Culture

While Confest has no official cultural philosophy, a range of informal cultural elements have evolved with the festival.

Fostering communities is an element manifest in food sharing and communal cooking areas, as well as the sharing of ideas and resources. This often extends to aligning with your "tribe" through the various villages and engaging in tribal practices such as drum circles, or the integral mud-tribe ritual.

Sensitivity to environmental issues and sustainability is also demonstrated in the absence of trash collection, a ban on disposable food containers, and a prolific permaculture village.

Vegetarianism is also encouraged through a ban on meat products in the marketplace along with some communal cooking spaces.

Personal freedoms are nurtured through a clothing-optional policy, encouraging volunteering, and a lack of restrictions in using the festival space.

Sexual freedom and responsibility is manifest in many workshops that explore tantric practices, alternative sexuality, and host many discussions around consent and respect.

A sense of returning to nature and detachment from the modern world is also evident in the relative absence of mobile phones and other technology, workshops favouring face-to-face interactions, a general ban on amplified music, and firm restrictions on photography.

Villages and Notable Spaces (Easter Confest 2018)

History

The first ConFest was held in 1976 on a property at Cotter River near Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory. It was initiated and organised by the then Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, Dr. Jim Cairns, his private secretary Junie Morosi and David Ditchburn.

In the early days, the organising committee rented space from various property owners, normally on or near the Murray River. However, due to dramatically increased insurance costs, it became increasingly difficult to locate suitable locations, until in the early years of the 21st century a property became available for purchase. After an extraordinary general meeting of DTE the decision was made to purchase the property, located near Gulpa Creek, 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) south of Deniliquin, New South Wales. The site has outdoor camping facilities and has about 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) of river frontage and about 400 hectares (1,000 acres) of space.

Climate

Confest is held at a location approximately 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) south of the New South Wales town of Moulamein and 100 kilometres (62 mi) north of Deniliquin. This region has cool, often wet, winters, and extremely hot and dry summers. Temperatures on the property have been known to regularly exceed 45°C in the shade. This combination produces an extreme fire risk, and as a result the Summer Confest has not been held for several years while fire mitigation work is carried out on the property. The Easter Confest has continued, and in 2016 an additional Confest was organised for Spring.

Legal issues

In 2015 police reported that 38 of 54 people searched on the approach road to the event were found in possession of illicit substances.^[5]

There have been a number of assaults throughout the festival's history by a few individuals, including sexual assaults during massages and an attempted child abduction. In some cases, this has resulted in lifetime bans from the festival and police involvement.^[6][7]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to ConFest.

• Official website
• Down to Earth Co-op website

Coordinates: 35°08′05″S 144°09′23″E / 35.134615°S 144.156289°E / -35.134615; 144.156289