By NIKKI TODD
TWEED residents planning on attending this weekend’s Splendour in the Grass festival are urged to use shuttles or carpool as a strict transport management plan is implemented from today (July 25).
Up to 25,000 revellers are expected to attend the three-day music festival, which kicks off in earnest tomorrow at its new site at Yelgun, known as North Byron Parklands, just south of the Tweed border.
A special traffic management plan has been put in place to accommodate the influx of festival-goers, with temporary turning lanes to be constructed at the Yelgun turn-off on the Pacific Highway as well as along Tweed Valley Way.
Local residents are urged to take heed with new speed restrictions put in place on Tweed Valley Way, while parking and camping along the road are strictly prohibited.
Checkpoints will also be put in place at strategic points for nearby residents to ensure they retain access to local roads.
There will be no pedestrian access to the festival with shuttle buses, on-site parking and other transport offered by Splendour organisers.
Splendour co-producer Jessica Ducrou encouraged ticket-holders to visit the website to ensure they were well prepared.
“We’d like to encourage everyone to use the shuttles or carpool,’’ Ms Ducrou said.
“Plus there’s all the usual tips – sturdy and comfortable shoes, warm clothing for nights, sunscreen for the day etcetera.’’
Ms Ducrou said organisers were excited the event was finally here after years of planning.
“It’s a hive of activity here. It’s looking really good and we’re super excited to finally stage Splendour at North Byron Parklands,’’ she said.
She said the rain of recent weeks had forced them to revise some of their plans, but the site had handled the weather well.
“We have had a lot of rain so that has had an effect on the land, but it’s by no means a mud pit. We have revised our camping plans to work around it also. Welly boots are always a good idea at a three-day camping festival!’’
This festival will be a crucial trial for organisers who have been granted approval to run a maximum of three events per year on the site for a trial period of five years.
In a coup for the site, it was announced last week the popular Falls Music Festival – famed for its events at Lorne in Victoria- would stage a new festival at North Byron Parklands over the New Year period.
Meanwhile, Tweed Byron LAC police have warned they will be monitoring drink driving and will have drug dogs in attendance throughout the festival.
For more information on traffic management and transport options, visit www.splendourinthegrass.com
