Groovin’ into good reputations
The Groovin The Moo festival in Canberra proved controversial last weekend with reports of assaults and overdoses. It's coming to Bendigo this weekend, but the locals are confident they won't have any trouble.
By LUCY HOLMES
The sold-out Groovin The Moo music festival in Bendigo on Saturday is putting a positive spin on the reputation of young people, while helping local service clubs.
Drug-affected teenagers have caused concern at large events in the past, including last weekend's Groovin the Moo in Canberra, where a 15-year-old was taken to hospital suffering from an overdose.
In spite of this, local service clubs helping with the Groovin The Moo operations said they were not concerned about potential bad behaviour.
Bendigo Sandhurst Rotary Club president Paul Henderson said post-event crowds had been terrific in previous years. The club runs a barbecue at the Bendigo Railway Station to feed hungry festival-goers after the show.
“On the whole, they’re well behaved and courteous. They’re just trying to have a bit of fun,” he said.
“Youth can get negative publicity, but they really are a good group.”
Mr Henderson said he had only encountered one or two alcohol-affected young people in previous years and one incident where the police were involved. “That’s minor considering the crowd numbers,” he said.
Money raised from the barbecue will go back into various community projects, such as supporting the Bendigo Victory Football Club which competes in the Reclink competition to promote sport for disadvantaged people.
Bendigo Mayor Rod Fyffe said the council was delighted to have Groovin The Moo visitors in Bendigo.
“They have been just fantastic in the past and I’ve got no thoughts that they won't be great in the future,” Cr Fyffe said.
The Strathfieldsaye Lions Club will be operating the car park at the Prince Of Wales Showgrounds on Saturday.
Lions Club past president Alan Andrews said the young people were always well behaved at the festival and the Lions Club had never had a problem with them. He said profits went towards the club's community programs.
Groovin The Moo is on Saturday, April 30, at the Prince Of Wales Showgrounds in North Bendigo. It is presented nationally by Cattleyard Promotions, and supported by Triple J, Channel [V], and Spotify.
