RISING floodwaters have forced Mildura Base Public Hospital to move its Back to Base festival from the riverside Nowingi Place venue to higher ground.
The rising Murray River is now expected to reach Nowingi Place, with forecasts of a further three metres in height before reaching its peak in late November.
Back to Base festival and riverside concert, featuring Australian singer Jessica Mauboy, had already been postponed from March this year to December due to the COVID-19 pandemic and organisers have now been pressed to an 11th hour change of venue by the anticipated floods.
The festival and concert will now take place on December 3 on the grassed area between City and Sarah ovals usually reserved for car parking with tickets restricted to 4000 people in the smaller venue.
Organisers said they considered a number of alternate site options before settling on Mildura Recreation Reserve.
Mildura Base Public Hospital communications, marketing and events director Heath Kendall said Mildura Racecourse and Mildura Sporting Precinct were both considered, but ruled out for different reasons.
"We looked at the possibility of moving out to the Mildura Racecourse, but with the rising floodwaters there is the potential that it will go under as well," Mr Kendall said.
"For the type of concert it is, and being a community event, we felt people would have better access to try to keep it in town so people and families could walk up to the event, so we did look at Mildura Sporting Precinct but felt it was probably too big for what we were doing," he said.
"We sort of stumbled upon the area between No.2 and No.3 ovals and after some conversations with council and our production team, we thought it would create an intimate atmosphere and a great vibe.
"We think it's amazing and we think it will add to the atmosphere and to the show overall."
Mr Kendall said the only drawback to the 4000-square-metre area was that tickets would now be limited to 4000 people.
"Nowingi Place can fit 15,000 to 17,000 people – not that we were expecting that – now it is going to be capped, so hopefully they are going to be at a premium," he said.
"About 2000 tickets are gone now, so we expect that over the next three weeks, if people are looking to get a ticket, they will need to get in quick."
Mr Kendall said organisers had been in constant contact with Mildura Council and the production team to find a solution to the issue.
"We've already delayed it once and we just felt that the venue was there so there was an opportunity to still put the event on," he said.
"There are some logistical things that had to change but the council has been absolutely fantastic, our production company has been amazing and they have been working with our events team to pull it all together.
"It has been a real team effort over the past 48 hours, so it's full steam ahead now."
The festival and concert will incorporate the Sunraysia Mallee Ethnic Communities Council food and cultural festival with entry at $30 and children under 13 free.
