The Lorne event received the Victorian Tourism Award for Excellence in Sustainability.
Falls has been at the forefront for greenie initiatives. Each year, 468,000 litres of rainwater is harvested and used onsite during the festival, which accounts for 64% of all water used. The composting toilets are flush-free saving 180 kilo litres of water each year. 62% of patrons travelling to Falls arrive either via carpool or public transport.
Last year, 55 tonnes of waste was recycled or composted. Patrons also offset 1660.5 tonnes of greenhouse gas via Climate Friendly, contributing $40,183.50 to The Tasmanian Native Forest Protection Project to help it improve forestry management.
Festival co-director Jessica Ducrou said, “It’s great to be recognized as an industry leader for our sustainable initiatives and processes for the second year in a row. Our events are set in regional locations, we work on and care for these farms year-round and we’re very passionate about minimizing waste and consumption in the area. The festival is now operating at level that makes a large difference to preserving and improving our local environments.”
Meantime, Falls Marion Bay won the Tasmanian Tourism Award in the Major Festivals and Events category for drawing people to the island. Last year, 55% of the crowd came from outside Tasmania. They usually stay 9 nights. In 2012, Essential Economics stated that Falls injected more than $15 million into the Tasmanian economy and provided numerous local residents with employment, tourism opportunities and added to its entertainment culture.
The Marion Bay event has donated over $107,000 to local community projects over the years. These included upgrading the local hall facilities, providing new uniforms for sports teams and helping fund a short film shot in the area.
This year, Falls is ramping up its tourism-friendly initiatives. It’s increased the availability of the Gimme Shelter ticket option where patrons can arrive to a tent already set up with sleeping mats included. They’ve also made available Tepee Life, where groups of friends can hire a tepee to camp in. It’s also more family-friendly, with a family only campground, and kids events including face painting, sculpture creating, circus workshops, beauty salons, craft corners and parades.