The cost of anti-terrorism security measures may force some Mountains festivals to fold.
Vice-president of the Leura Village Association, Piercarlo Cuneo, has warned that the added expense of hiring water-filled barriers is making the two annual events in that town only just viable.
“It becomes almost impossible to do this festival,” he said, referring to next month’s Leura Village Fair. The town also stages the Harvest Festival in autumn.
Inevitably, he said, some of the funds raised to help maintain the beautiful gardens in the town have to be diverted to pay for the security.
“Let’s hope next year the federal government decides to put some funds to the fair,” Mr Cuneo said, adding it was “almost a full-time job” seeking sponsors and other financial assistance to stage the events.
Last year, after Blue Mountains police imposed tougher security measures, council stepped in to help the eight major festivals, supplying water barriers and staff to the tune of about $50,000.
While it is working with organisers to find alternative off-road venues, where possible, it can no longer finance any security and has written to festival organisers, telling them they will have to meet any additional costs.
The letter said council would continue to advocate for uniform guidelines on security requirements and would seek state government funding.
At the last council meeting, staff said they had investigated a proposal by Cr Kevin Schreiber to buy mobile bollards but noted that: “At present, there are no standard specifications for what bollards are required for heavy vehicle incursions.”
Councillors voted to write to Destination NSW “seeking funding to assist community events with security infrastructure, highlighting the importance of community events to the visitor economy as well as social vitality”.
Some festivals have made alternative plans: the Blackheath Rhododendron Festival in November will use trucks behind post-and-rail barriers as a back-up security measure, instead of hiring the more expensive water barriers.
