Riverina Police District increases drug-detection operation at 2018 Burning Seed Festival at Matong State Forest

The six-day festival, in which attendees build a collaborative city based on the theme of ‘ancient future’, at Matong State Forest has been estimated to attract 4200 people from all over the country.

With a high number of drug detections in 2017 and the increase in attendees this year, police are now conducting random testing and screening of attendees at the event.

A drug-detection dog has also been helping the operation.

Constable Dylan Mugridge, officer in charge at Ganmain Police Station, said they were detecting for illicit drugs and prescribed-restricted drugs.

“It’s the illegal mushrooms, hallucinogenic mushrooms and cannabis,” Constable Mugridge said.

He said that while it was hard for police to fully control what the participants would do, police and event organisers have been working to educate them.

“We tell them what’s illegal and what they can’t have,” Constable Mugridge said.

“We’ve been working with festival organisers for about 12 months and they’re very cooperative with the police.”

He said attendees have “been encouraged to embrace police presence this year”.

Festival goer John Howard, 65, said that while he could not offer advice to those seeking to engage in drugs, he believed attendees can still have fun without illicit substances.

“You don’t need any of that stuff to have fun – it’s better actually if you don’t,” Mr Howard said.

“What I hope to get from this festival is relaxation, kindred spirits, change of attitudes, open mindedness and a bit of colour.

It is the first time Mr Howard, a Sydneysider, has attended this event and he said he hoped to be there for the whole week.

“What brought me here is I want to shake up old attitudes in general about what 65-year-olds get up to,” he said.

“To change the stereotype a bit.”

In 2017, in addition to the 40 drug detections, a woman in her 20s needed medical assistance after she was impaled on a star picket.

In a statement, organisers said they are cooperating with authorities to ensure the event runs smoothly.

“Seed has grown over the seven years at Matong State Forest from fewer than 500 people attending in 2011 to well over 3500 tickets sold last year,” it reads.

“The reality of the size of our event in the current political climate, especially in NSW, is that we are now on the radar of many government agencies.

“The Burning Seed organisers...are responsible for building and maintaining relationships with our external stakeholders, including Forestry Corporation of NSW, NSW Ambulance, NSW Health, and, of course, NSW Police.

“The very future of our event relies on the support of these groups, along with the local community.”

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