ConFest is:
A festival - DOWN TO EARTH - A SHAPING Of Alternatives
a publically attended Festival or Conference phenomenon
which has origins in Australia.
In its place of origin, ConFest is understood, by many, as:
Australia's Central Active Consciousness
Alternative Culture Movement Festival
A place for Intelligent Conferencing
where new communities and visions are born.
A convergence centre, and birthplace, of many of
Australia's Active Networks
Jim Cairns speaking at a peace protest and the Cotter river confest 1976
(copyright J.F Cairns)
source: Alternative Australia - Communities for the Future?
by Peter Cock 1979
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Chronology of known ConFests held in Australia
1976 (Dec) Cotter River (ACT) A Shaping Of Alternatives (9-10, 000).
1977/78 (New Year) Bredbo (Mt Oak, NSW) Focus for a Future (15, 000).
1979 (Autumn/Easter) Berri SA (on Murray River) The Year of the Child (5,500-7,000).
1980 (Jan 25-28) French Island, Vic (Cairns' event not supported by DTE) (2,000).
1980 (May) Rainbow Region Gathering at Wytaliba NSW (largely rained out).
1981 (Jan 23-6) Glenlyon I (Daylesford) Welcoming and Exploring the New Age (3,000).
1982 (Jan 28-Feb 1) Glenlyon II Viable Futures Through Loving Action (8,000).
1983/84 (New Year) Baringa I (Wangaratta, Vic) Making Alternatives Work (5,000).
1984/85 (New Year) Baringa II Peace (4,000).
1986 (Jan 24-27) Glenlyon III Co-operation.
1986/87 (New Year) Glenlyon IV Co-operation.
1987/88 (New Year) Mt Oak NSW (10 year anniversary) (1,200).
1988 (Jan) Permacroft (Seymour, Vic) Resurgence of the Call For a New Society.
1988/89 (New Year) Walwa I (Neils Reserve on the Murray) (3,500).
1989/90 (New Year) Walwa II (4,000).
1990/91 (New Year) Walwa III Heal Thy Self - Thy Planet (5,000).
1992 (Autumn/Easter) Toc I (Tocumwal NSW) Continuing the Tradition.
1993 (Autumn/Easter) Toc II Weaving the Web.
1993/94 (New Year) Moama I.
1994 (Autumn/Easter) Toc III (4,000).
1994/95 (New Year) Moama II (9,000).
1995 (Autumn/Easter) Moama III (3,500).
1995/96 (New Year) Tocumwal Birdlands (diff site) A Birdlands Experience (9,500).
1996 (Autumn/Easter) Toc IV Back to the River Harvest Festival (4,000).
1996/97 (New Year) Moama IV (6,000).
1997 (Autumn/Easter) Moama V (5,000).
1997/98 (New Year) Gum Lodge I (Tocumwal) (6,500).
1998 (Autumn/Easter) Gum Lodge II (4,000).
1998/99 (New Year) Guilmartens I (Tocumwal) Universal Togetherness (3,500).
1999 (Autumn/Easter) Guilmartens II What's Alternative Now? ('unplugged') (2,000).
1999/00 (New Year) Guilmartens III (Tocumwal) (2,500).
2000 (Autumn/Easter) Guilmartens IV (Tocumwal) (2,200).
2000/01 (New Year) Gulpa Creek I (between Echuca & Deniliquin) Earth Odyssey (2,500).
2001 (Autumn/Easter) Gulpa Creek II (between Echuca & Deniliquin) (2,500).
2001/02 (New Year) Gulpa Creek III (between Echuca & Deniliquin) (3800).
2002 (Autumn/Easter) Gulpa Creek IV (between Echuca & Deniliquin) (3800).
2002/03 (New Year) Gulpa Creek Bylands I, at 'new' DTE owned site (between Echuca & Deniliquin) (2500).
* (NB The 2002/03 New Year ConFest was held at the Bylands property, purchased by DTE in 2002)
2003 (Autumn/Easter) Gulpa Creek Bylands II (between Echuca & Deniliquin) (3200).
2003/04 (New Year) Gulpa Creek Bylands III (between Echuca & Deniliquin) (2200?).
2004 (Autumn/Easter) Gulpa Creek Bylands IV (between Echuca & Deniliquin) (3200).
2004/05 (New Year) Gulpa Creek Bylands V (between Echuca & Deniliquin) (????).
2005 (Autumn/Easter) Gulpa Creek Bylands VI (between Echuca & Deniliquin) (????).
2005/06 (New Year) Gulpa Creek Bylands VII (between Echuca & Deniliquin) (2000?).
2006 (Autumn/Easter) Gulpa Creek Bylands VIII (between Echuca & Deniliquin) (3000).
2006/07 (New Year) On the Edward River outside Moulamein, between Deniliquin and Swan Hill (3000)
* (NB
The 2006/07 New Year ConFest was held at a property purchased by DTE in
2005/6. This is now the 2nd property purchased, and owned by DTE.)
2007 (Autumn) On the Edward River outside Moulamein, between Deniliquin and Swan Hill (2300)
2007/08 (New Year) On the Edward River outside Moulamein, between Deniliquin and Swan Hill (1500)
2008 (Autumn) On the Edward River outside Moulamein, between Deniliquin and Swan Hill (3000)
2008/09 (New Year) On the Edward River outside Moulamein, between Deniliquin and Swan Hill (1200)
2009 (Autumn) On the Edward River outside Moulamein, between Deniliquin and Swan Hill (3700)
The most essential read on ConFest
A PhD Thesis on ConFest - Alternative Cultural Heterotopia: ConFest as Australia's Marginal Centre.
Chapter 3. - The Down to Earth Movement (A must do read from the PhD Thesis on ConFest).
You may also download a 1.5MB *.pdf text version (without photos) of the PhD Thesis on ConFest here.
Relevant ConFest Links
The online home of the ConFest community: -->> www.confest.org.au
Next Australian ConFest Information.
Down to Earth (Victoria) Co-operative Society Limited, (DTE) , who bring you "ConFest" in Australia.
