• Festival-goers planned to leave mess behind 
• READ MORE: Australian music festival makes controversial change 

By MATT JONES, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA

Published: 02:16 GMT, 12 January 2026 | Updated: 03:00 GMT, 12 January 2026

Revellers have been slammed after turning a music festival into a dumping ground,  leaving behind personal belongings and piles of rubbish. 

The site of Beyond The Valley, in regional Victoria, was left covered in abandoned tents and camping equipment as festivalgoers departed on New Year's Day.

The event was created in 2014 and runs from December 28 to 31. 

As music lovers left the sold-out event, many didn't bother with the organisers' request which was on the festival's website: 'We're lucky to celebrate here, and part of that means taking care of the land while we do.

'Like any good festival, everyone is expected to bin their rubbish, take home what they bring and leave their campsite as they found it.

'It's simple, and it makes a big difference. No lectures here - just the bottom line on how to keep your space (and ours) clean.'

Larissa Stubbings, 20, saw firsthand just how bad the site was left after she was forced to stay a little longer when she had car trouble. 

'We were able to gather literally everything we needed: new tents, blow-up mattresses, water and so much unopened food,' she told the ABC.

Many who attended the Beyond The Valley festival left camping gear behind

Festival-goers had fun, but many were also happy to leave a mess

'It was really surreal; it felt like we were shopping because there was so much left behind.

'Everyone is really tired after a multi-day festival, but I didn't think people were that lazy or careless.'

Green Music Australia, a registered charity that aims to create a greener future for the music industry, said rubbish and waste left after festivals has been a problem for some time.

Chief executive Berish Bilander said more than half of the rubbish produced at festivals comes from campsites.

He said many buy cheap camping gear deliberately, knowing they will leave it behind after days of partying.

Mr Bilander called for a cultural shift among festivalgoers.

'The mess we're seeing at festivals like BTV is driven by three things: culture, practical options and product quality,' he told Daily Mail. 

'Most people going to festivals aren't regular campers and would avoid buying gear if there were affordable alternatives, like renting or borrowing equipment. They just need somewhere to sleep and a place to hang out for a few nights.'

The Beyond The Valley event was sold out leading up to New Year's Eve

Mess left behind at music festivals has long been a problem in Australia

Green Music Australia claims one in three tents taken to a music festival are left behind.

Joshua Davies ran the Lost Paradise event on the NSW Central Coast recently and experienced a similar phenomenon.

'It really is a growing culture of consumerism, buying something extremely cheap knowing you'll only use it once,' he said.

'But it's nothing new - we've seen it for decades, but cheap products are easier than ever to obtain.'

Mr Davies even had to bring in removalist trucks to clean up abandoned camping gear, which he gave to charities.

'Festival organisers need to be frank with patrons and show them the aftermath of their fun,' he said.

Daily Mail contacted Beyond The Valley for further comment.