Those who have chosen the Marion Bay Falls Festival experience in the past will swear that the smaller younger brother to the Lorne event is the greatest source of Falls pride.
It’s not just Tasmanians that will attest to that, but the many interstate travellers that make their way to Marion Bay gush over the event. Given its smaller audience Marion Bay allows punters to experience the artists in a more intimate setting and this is a fact that makes the love for the event unsurprising.
But intimacy aside the gorgeous surroundings of Tasmania provide ticket holders with a unique New Years Eve travel destination. Often the butt of a national joke or two those who have visited the state can testify to the sentiment that Tasmania is an Australian travel stop that is too good to be missed.
When Simon Daly hosted the inaugural one night event in Lorne, made up of local bands in 1993 with 11,000 punters in attendance, the potential seen for this type of event was undeniable.
Ten years later in 2003 Daly would look toward the home state of his wife and mother to expand his Falls Festival brand. The principles were the same. Tasmania was another remote community with a non-existent music scene that would reap the riches of such an event.
Marion Bay and Lorne had that natural beauty in common and every year since they’ve both been home to quality international and local acts around New Years.
Another decade on and Byron Bay is set to provide Falls with another location. Again, the area’s pristine natural beauty is in the same vein as Lorne and Marion Bay.
Regardless how Bryon goes in its first year those punters loyal to Marion Bay will declare the event as the best location for Falls Festival.
Lineup
Out here last for Harvest Festival in 2012 off the back of their fourth studio album Shields, Grizzly Bear will return to Australia to headline Falls Festival alongside Chris Taylor’s Terrible Records alumni Solange Knowles.
With their third record, Modern Vampires Of The City, in tow Vampire Weekend will bring the effervescence of their indie-pop favourites and their new mature sound for their set. MGMT will provide the weird, rising Britsters London Grammer will bring the melancholy and The Roots will produce some soul for the event.
Other must see international acts include The War On Drugs, Bonobo, !!!, The Wombats and Violent Femmes.
That’s not to mention a host of local acts from the veterans of their field in The Cat Empire and Neil Finn to the up and coming musicians such as Big Scary, Gossling, Rufus, Pond, The Paper Kites and a whole heap more.
Check out the full lineup here.
Where And When
The biggest end of year party in Tasmania will be held on the south-east coast locale of Marion Bay from the 29th of December til the 1st of January.
How To Get There
Interstate travellers must first decide if they’d rather make their way to Tasmania via boat or plane. The former allows you to take your car along with you while the plane might be best for those who suffer from the perils of the great big blue.
The Spirit of Tasmania will take you by boat with prices varying depending on what time and date you depart from Melbourne. While a fee of $89 is incurred for those bringing their car along, the following are prices for one-way adult fares.
Deluxe Cabin: $350
Shared Birth: $203
Twin Cabin: $266
Day Ticket: $182
For more pricing options visit the Spirit Of Tasmania website.
Once you’ve set foot on Tasmania land in Davenport, you’ll have to catch a Redline bus to Hobart with a fare setting you back $64. From there Belbins will take you from Hobart to the festival site with services running each day and night of the event. Ticket prices are $35 return.
If flying is more your thing the following are the cheapest estimated prices for return airfares to and from Hobart available at the time of writing. You can fly through airlines such as Tiger, Jet Star, Virgin, REX and Qantas.
Adelaide: With a stop in Melbourne either way expect to pay upwards of $600.
Brisbane: While direct flights to Hobart are closer to the $700 mark, one-stop flights are from $615.
Melbourne: Direct flights to Hobart start from $350.
Perth: One-stop flights are valued from $1000 onwards.
Sydney: Both direct and one-stop flights are valued from $695 onwards.
Regardless of whether you fly to Hobart, Launceston or Davenport ticket holders can either hire a car or catch a Belbins bus to and from the airport that takes you to the festival.
Where To Stay
While you may wish to extend your stay to experience the sights of the state before or after the festival there is obviously no hostel or hotel booking required for this camping festival.
So get your swag, tent or campervans ready and brace yourself for sleeping on a slant. Because as past attendees will tell you, it’s worth it!
How To Get Tickets
While Lorne traditionally sells out within hours of going on sale and with new baby Byron at full capacity too Marion Bay allows for the unorganized, lazy and unfortunate (or fortunate) people who have had plans fall through.
The cost of getting to Tasmania is countered by cheaper passes with three day tickets setting you back $236 and 2 day passes valued at $203. You can save yourself the hassle of bringing camping gear with the Gimme Shelter Ticket worth $336.
Get your tickets here!
Insider Tips & Tricks/Things You Shouldn’t Miss
Marion Bay takes care of its own and this is proven by Falls Festival’s discounted price for Tasmanian residents with tickets $10 cheaper than traditional prices
There is more than just music to offer at Falls Festival with the ‘Total Eclipse of the Art’ program allowing creatives to make a contribution to the visual aesthetics of the event with multiple artistic programs on offer all festival long.
Once you’ve designed your costume at Art Camp you’re now ready to embark on the Falls Fiesta parade on NYE. Say goodbye to 2013 with one final salute to the year gone by.
Boogies Nights is held on the first night of the festival and yes this is the time for dance tragics to display their freakiest and wildest limb shaking moves. With music from all corners of planet Earth you’ll hear sounds from a New Orleans brass band, a Japanese funk band and more. Oh and in case you didn’t get the memo it’s fancy dress themed so it’s time to start your costume planning.
The Village is described by Falls as a “festival within a festival, the party within a party”. True to their word this area provides everything from morning yoga classes, samba classes to circus workshops, puppetry, burlesque and comedy. It’s also a great space to take a break from the mosh yet still experience the best of the festivities.
If you like many are a poor festival goer it’s time you picked up a garbage bag and started collecting bottles and cans. Why? Because not only will the festival provide you with a free beer token, but you’ll be helping that little precious thing we call the environment.
For more details head to the official Falls Festival Marion Bay Website
