Victorian Government advises of first music festivals chosen for on-site pill testing trial

The Victorian Government has announced that it will introduce the first of 10 pill testing trials at music festivals at the Beyond the Valley over the New Year's Eve holiday period.

With nine more festivals to be announced as part of a trial, pill testing machines will be available at the four-day event held at Barunah Plains near Hesse, west of Geelong.

Beyond The Valley is expected to attract around 35,000 people, which would make it the biggest event in Australia to ever have pill testing sites.

Announcing the trial and noting that it would provide a judgement free zone for Victorians to check their drugs safely, Victorian Premier, Jacinta Allan stated “we know that this harm reduction approach works, it works to save lives.

"We’re not going to bury our heads in the sands, we do recognise … that if a young person is at a festival with a pill in their hand, they intend to use it."

Premier Allan said while the pill testing would increase safety, it did not mean a tacit approval of drug use, stating “no pill is safe, no drug is safe, and that’s certainly the message that will continue to be delivered.”

A consortium led by Youth Support and Advocacy Service, in partnership with The Loop Australia and Harm Reduction Victoria, will deliver the mobile pill testing service with Melbourne Health, Youth Projects and Metabolomics Australia (University of Melbourne) to deliver medical support, social services and secondary and confirmatory testing of substances.

The Loop Australia Chief Executive, Cameron Francis commented “our drug-checking service will test the make-up of most substances, providing people with vital information, confidential health advice, and honest conversations to help them make safer choices.”

The service will be completely confidential, with the technology used able to test the make-up of most pills, capsules, powders, crystals, or liquids and identify harmful chemicals that can lead to death.

The service will be staffed by a multidisciplinary team of experts that will not only test substances, but also provide confidential health information to help people at the festival make better, safer decisions.

A fixed pill testing site will also be established and open by mid-2025 in inner Melbourne, close to nightlife and public transport.

The trial follows the recent passing of the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Amendment (Pill Testing) Bill 2024, which made Victoria the first jurisdiction in Australia to have dedicated legislation to support pill testing.

The Victorian Department of Health will also work with agencies and major events to develop a Safer Music Festivals Framework, helping organisers and providers understand their roles and responsibilities in keeping patrons safe.

Welcoming the trial, Untitled Group Director of Festivals & Major Events, Pete Sofo went on to say “Untitled Group have always prioritised the health and safety of our community, and we’re excited to offer an extra layer of support for patrons to better understand the risks and make informed choices around drug use.”

The announcement comes amid growing concerns over the strength of drugs available in the state increasing the risk of overdoses.

Four more festivals will be trialled this summer, while another five events have been earmarked for trialling next summer.

Images: Beyond the Valley will be the largest event in Australia to ever have pill testing on site, around 35,000 people are expected to attend the Beyond the Valley music festival this year. (Credit: Facebook/Beyond The Valley).