After Lost Paradise 2017, no doubt remains. This is one of Australia’s most consistent festivals, and one we’ll remain excited for as long as it exists.
Lost Paradise 2017 definitely exceeded any expectations I had, which after seeing it advertised as “your hidden wonderland”, were quite high to begin with. The festival was held over New Years on a beautiful farm property at Glenworth Valley. When the high temperatures proved to be too much, punters took the opportunity to cool down in the nearby creeks, a much needed relief.
Across the bridges and into the festival grounds, there was always something to keep you occupied between artists. From taking part in laughter yoga at Shambhala Fields, to writing a love letter in the love post office, watching Indigenous dance performances, playing Jenga and taking turns on a swing, to joining the crowd following the disco bike revolution, there were endless opportunities to make connections with other people, and find something you enjoyed. I even rode a unicycle at a pop-up circus (for about ten metres, but it totally counts).
The theme on New Years Eve was ‘alter ego’, but that didn’t stop people from dressing up every day. The costumes were amazing, from Kath and Kim to Russell Coight, Big Bird, and the more common Mario and Luigi, there were plenty of colourful costumes and wildly dressed punters.
The Arcadia stage hosted acts such as San Cisco, Matt Corby, Alex The Astronaut, Skegss, and Client Liaison, while the Lost Disco stage was a constant rave, with rotating DJs and a loyal crowd.
The festival had a recycling scheme where if you returned cans, cups, and bottles purchased from the bar, you received $1 back per can. This meant the festival grounds were impressively clean, although unfortunately the same cannot be said for the campgrounds. Please, please, take everything home with you after a festival and respect the land, it’s people, and the environment. You can have fun at a festival without trashing it, so learn to do that. Festival organisers can only do so much to prevent this, punters need to do their part too.
Inside the festival, spirits were high, with crowds flocking to the music, whether it was on the back of a trailer being pulled by a bike, or on any of the stages. Client Liaison welcomed 2018 with a countdown leading into World Of Our Love, with confetti and a sea of New Year’s Eve kisses and cheers.
The next day, I was home (to Newcastle) in under an hour of leaving the festival, which made travelling to Byron Bay for NYE (like I had the previous year) seem like a mammoth effort. I will hopefully experience the hidden wonderland that is Lost Paradise again, and when I do, I’ll know to pack plenty of wild costumes.
Photos and words by Brooke Tunbridge.
