'Actual nightmare': Aussies stuck in scorching heat amid festival chaos
Festivalgoers at Beyond the Valley endured a 'dangerous' eight hours on Sunday.
Thousands of Aussie revellers were stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic for more than eight hours on Sunday as temperatures soared to a scorching 37C in Melbourne.
Shocking footage shows huge queues of Beyond the Valley festivalgoers — who paid up to $500 for a ticket — waiting in their cars while trying to leave the campsite in Barunah Plains, outside of Geelong.
Annoyed music fans waiting in their car in the blazing sun for hours hit out at the delay on social media, with some claiming they were without water and food.
“You’re trying to leave BTV through one exit with no staff, no water in 37 degree heat,” one TikTok video, showing thousands of cars scattered across a field, is captioned.
Frustrated revellers described the scene as “awful” and an “actual nightmare”, with some telling 9News that one woman suffered from heat stroke and was “unconscious for a bit”. One man said he was forced to return to bring petrol to friends who had run out, as numerous other cars overheated and broke down.
“Great night, but three hours so far in the car trying to leave, queue is not moving, no water, no food, no toilets, we’ll all be passed out in our cars before this queue moves,” one person wrote on Beyond the Valley’s Facebook page.
“I’m still going to be here for 2023 BTV the rate this traffic is moving,” another said, while a third joked: “Be good if you actually let us leave.”
“Is there any traffic control or police there? Our daughter said they have been in car barely moving for four hours. They cannot see any staff to seek update. This is very dangerous in hot weather,” someone else warned.
Beyond the Valley responds
In a statement on their Instagram, Beyond the Valley festival organisers apologised for the long delay.
“We are experiencing traffic delays getting out of the festival today due to the influx of cars exiting the festival as well as general holiday traffic on the roads,” they said.
“We sincerely apologise for the delays and inconvenience caused. Please bear with us as our staff with support the process.”
The spokesperson said staff on buggies were “doing water drops at cars” and that there were “ample water tanks” around the site where people could fill up their bottles.
“There is plenty of shade around site should you choose to wait until traffic eases as well as food options available,” they added. “We understand this process is not pleasant in the heat. Our priority is to get everyone home safely.”
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