Big Day Out could come to Byron

Reports that Big Day Out has been invited to move to Northern NSW from the Gold Coast has sent rumours flying that the Byron Shire could soon be home to another mega outdoor music festival.

DAVID NIELSEN

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Gold Coast Big Day Out

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Poll

Would you support Big Day Out moving to Byron Bay?

This poll ended on 31 October 2010.

Definitely

38%

Not another festival

24%

If it was at the right time of the year

5%

Bring Splendour in the Grass back instead

32%

This is not a scientific poll. The results reflect only the opinions of those who chose to participate.

THE Northern Rivers anti-festival brigade might have another battle on their hands

Reports that Big Day Out has been invited to move to Northern NSW from the Gold Coast has sent rumours flying that the Byron Shire could soon be home to another mega outdoor music festival.

The rumour-mill was started after Gold Coast Big Day Out promoter, Brian Chladil, said in a public meeting on Monday night organisers would look south if the Queensland Government did not find a new home for Parklands showground, Big Day Out’s current venue.

Parklands showground will close in June 2013 but Chladil said organisers needed a decision within a year – or else.

"There is currently a purpose-built venue in northern NSW (and they are) dying for us to move there and that’s obviously a distinct possibility, which would represent a $30-$40 million loss to the Queensland economy from tourism," he said.

A spokesperson for the national Big Day Out organisers, Lees & West, neither denied nor confirmed Mr Chladil's comments.

"If the government has no plans to rebuild the Parklands venue, obviously the Big Day Out has to consider other options however, no firm decisions have been made at this time," the spokesperson said.