Suspicious fire at Rainbow Serpent site in Victoria

Police are investigating a fire lit in a large pile of rubbish outside the gates of the electronic dance music, arts and lifestyle Rainbow Serpent Festival site in Lexton, western Victoria.

It was a foolish act given the dry bush area and the high temperatures.

But four fire engines managed to contain the blaze.

Rainbow Serpent kicks off this Friday, and organisers said the set-up continued without missing a beat.

Last year an out-of-control grassfire came within a few hundred metres of the site last year.

A profile in the Ballarat Courier today of the festival’s impact on the local economy in the past 20 years said that mainstream media might concentrate on the event’s history of drug overdoses and sexual assaults but missed out on the sense of community the event brought as well as the thousands of dollars it brought in to keep local retailers and trade services afloat.

In other Victorian festival news:

* Four day bush doof Yemaya Festival near Serpentine is looking at its options after a court refused a five-year approval for it to be held at its site due to noise and biosecurity effect on the local region.

Festival organiser, Eugene Apter, said options included moving to a new site and appealing the decision in the Supreme Court.

* This morning the inaugural Bendigo Autumn Music festival  (April 25 – 28) released details of its arts, comedy, film and workshop offerings on its website to complement its previously announced music schedule which ranges from rock to flamenco.