Welcome Letter
Welcome Home Sister
TO THE 11TH SEVEN SISTERS FESTIVAL CELEBRATION
24-27 NOV 2023
1755 Seymour-Tooborac Rd, Glenaroua, Victoria 3764,
Dear Sister,
We are very excited to welcome you to our beautiful new Site for Seven Sisters Festival 2023. So much has happened since we were last together and we can’t wait to see you all! We have prepared some basic information below to ensure you come prepared and have the best possible stay.
This is your weekend to unwind, replenish, get energised or relax - you design it according to your needs and desires. There are no compulsory activities and no bookings for workshops or performances (except the Healing Haven); simply turn up at the allocated time to attend the activity of your desire. It’s time to brew a cuppa and take some time to peruse the program on our website and plan your visit! You will receive a printed program upon arrival.
Now for the important practical stuff…
Where possible, we encourage you to carpool to limit the number of vehicles on site, as well as reduce our overall impact on our beautiful environment. You can visit our facebook carpooling page to look for a potential lift or offer a lift to other attendees.
1755 Seymour-Tooborac Rd, Glenaroua, Victoria 3764
When you arrive with your vehicle, you’ll be directed onto the property where you will remain in your vehicle until you reach the ticketing tent where you will:
-
Have your tickets scanned please have the barcode out ready to go (remember, you must have the appropriate ticket if you’re bringing a caravan/campervan)
-
Be given an event wristband and relevant vehicle pass
-
Be directed to the appropriate camping area
-
Glampers will be identified and given separate instructions, explained in the glamping section below (your separate glamping ticket will be scanned at the Glamping Check In which will happen after the entry tent)
ACCESS TIMES
-
Gates open at 2.00pm Thursday 6 October
-
The festival ends at 5.30pm on Sunday 9 October, all guests MUST exit the site by 8:00pm.
-
Please bring a printout of your ticket or have it ready to scan off your smartphone
-
You will be given a festival program on arrival (included in your ticket price)
ENTRY & EXIT GATES
All patrons will enter and exit via Gate A on Seymour-Toorborac Road.
General Admission Gates Open/Close:
-
Thursday 6 October - 2:00pm – 10:00pm
-
Friday 7 October - 7:30am – 11:30pm
-
Saturday 8 October - 7:30am – 11:30pm
-
Sunday 9 October: 7:30am – 8:00pm
DAY ONLY PATRONS
-
Saturday 8 October: 7:00am – 2:00pm / Exit only after this period
-
Sunday 9 October: 7:00am – 2:00pm / Exit only after this period
TICKETS
You must have a valid ticket to enter the festival site. There are a number of ticket types available for this year’s festival:
-
4-day General Admission ticket
-
Maiden 4-day General Admission ticket
-
Saturday day only ticket
-
Sunday day only ticket
-
Glamping ticket - Basic, Furnished, Shared + General Admin Ticket
-
Caravan/campervan ticket + General Admin Ticket
-
Sleeping in car pass
-
Car pass
-
Contributor Ticket (Healers & Readers, Performers, Presenters, Food Vendors, Market Stalls, Staff etc)
-
Additional Powered ticket (for Medical accessibility reasons only) - please let the gate staff know if you have purchased an additional power ticket, they will direct you to the area that has access to power
OUR SITE
If you haven’t heard already, we’ve moved to our wonderful new home in Glenaroua, Victoria. It’s a stunning farm site surrounded by rolling hills.
YOUR STAYCATION
CAMPING
-
All campervans(over 6m) and all camper trailers and caravans must have a caravan ticket or they will be turned away (see more info below)
-
Day Parking – Near main gate entrance
-
You’re welcome to sleep in your car, anyone sleeping in their car will be parked close by to the camping area
-
Most campsites have adjacent parking spaces, but not all
-
You will not be allowed to move your vehicle throughout the festival. If you need to leave the festival early, you will have to park in Day Parking and carry your belongings to your campsite.
-
Campsite size limit - Our beautiful new site means we have the luxury of more space. We do ask for people to carpool which will give us more room for camping. We are hoping to provide a 6m x 3m area per 2 people.
-
Campsites are first come, first served
-
Don't peg into pink chalk lines ( this is where our underground water pipes are located. )
CARAVAN / TRAILERS / RV / CAMPERVANS
This year there is a dedicated caravan area.
This area is for Campervan's and RV's that are over 6m and all camper trailers and caravans (no matter the size).
You MUST have a caravan ticket to camp in this section. Space in this area is limited and tickets are sold out, if you do not have this ticket, you are not able to bring your caravan to the site.
Please note there is a Caravan area in the Mums and Bubs & Accessible Area.
.png)
.png)
If you need assistance setting up your caravan/trailer/campervan you can enter with a partner or non-ticket paying family member from 1:00 pm on Thursday 6 October. They must be off-site from 1:45 pm, as the festival begins at 2:00 pm.
Please follow the instruction of our gate staff. You do not need approval to arrive at this time.
Each caravan site is 6m x 15m. All vehicles need to be self-contained.
No generators are permitted.
No power, water, or waste services are provided.
WHAT TO BRING
All accommodation on site other than the luxury glamping tents and Tipi’s on-site is general camping.
Please bring everything you need in the way of shelter and bedding to be comfortable and dry.
-
Yoga mat
-
Notebook and pen
-
Tent, pillow and sleeping gear, if camping
-
Torch
-
warm clothes & jacket (it gets cold overnight)
-
Appropriate shoes for a farm site in Victoria
-
Towel and personal toiletries for showers
-
Water bottle
-
Sunscreen, hat and mosquito repellent
-
Power bank for your phone.
-
Cash for food, chai, cakes, market stalls, Healing Haven appointments (we recommend a $20 donation per session), showers, etc (there is an ATM on site if required)
-
Loose clothing for yoga and workshops and warm clothes for the evenings
-
A reusable cup
-
An open mind and heart
FACILITIES
-
Portable toilets
-
Shower Truck with Hot Showers ( Open 6-9pm) 3 minute or less showers are strongly encouraged to conserve water.
-
Accessible showers and toilets are available in the accessible camping area.
-
Water taps are scattered throughout the campgrounds with free drinking water.
-
Wash stations for your plates, bowls, mugs, reusable cups, etc.
-
Ice for sale at the information tent for $5 a bag, so don't forget your esky.
-
ATM facilities (you must have your physical bank card to use the atms)
-
Phone charging station - limited phone charging will be provided at the Information Tent:
We encourage everyone to bring their own power banks.
There will be a small number of power banks for hire for a fee of $5 for 1 hour and $10 for 2 hour (max). -
24-hour First Aid services
-
Information Tent
-
Support and free counseling services (for those in need), please visit our First Aid tent.
WE ALSO WILL BE OFFERING
-
Food Market
A variety of delicious food and beverage vendors (who cater for common dietary restrictions) and your coffee needs! Find out more about what's on offer on our website. -
Market Village
More than 80 retail stalls for you to explore and treat yourself in. -
Retreat Spaces
A variety of retreat spaces including a maiden’s lounge, a mums & bubs sanctuary and hammock land, read more about these and the offerings within the spaces on our website.
IMPORTANT RULES
We have a complete fire ban this year, so we ask for your caution.
We respectfully ask also that you adhere to the following:
-
No smudge sticks, candles, fires, pyrotechnics, firecrackers, sparklers or flares
-
No gas stoves or BBQ’s
-
No dogs or pets (support animals are exempt)
-
No drugs or alcohol
-
No swimming
-
No glass
-
No smoking near the workshop or food areas. There is one designated smoking area on site. Please pick up & bin your cigarette butts.
-
Observe the specified Gate opening and closing times
-
Wear your official festival wristband at all times
-
Wear appropriate footwear on the festival site at all times. It’s a farm and it’s Victoria, come prepared for rain and the terrain!
-
No individuals that identify as men or other non-paying friends to come onsite to help set up or pack up your gear without prior approval from Seven Sisters Management
-
All Caravans, Campervans (over 6m) and trailers must have a valid Caravan/Campervan ticket or you will be turned away
WHAT ELSE TO KNOW ABOUT THE SITE & PLAN??
PARKING
-
Cars can be parked in camping zones, but not directly next to camping set-ups. There will be car bays in each camping area. Your car will be anywhere from 5 - 40m away.
-
Once a car is parked in the camping zone, it cannot move until the conclusion of the festival.
-
Those who need to leave the site during the festival will be identified during the ticket scanning process and given a Day vehicle pass, which allows them into the Day parking. If camping, you will need to carry your belongings to your campsite from this carpark.
-
The Day parking is separate to the camping zones (on the eastern side of site).
CAR MOVEMENT
-
No vehicles are permitted to move in the festival area and campgrounds (with the exception of come-and-go parking) once you have parked and set up your camp.
-
Vehicles with the appropriate passes, parked in the Eastern Paddock Day Parking Zone will be permitted to enter and exit throughout the duration of the event, however, are not permitted within the festival ground themselves.
-
All vehicles can exit the site after the Closing Ceremony.
-
When driving on-site, speed must be kept to 5 kph.
-
Site vehicles and emergency service vehicles are an exception to vehicle movement rules.
-
Site buggies are also in motion to transport equipment and performers.
VEHICLE PASS
-
Each general admission ticket includes a vehicle pass. The correct vehicle pass will be given to the attendee based on the admission ticket at entry. For example, food vendor pass, general camping pass, and staff pass, which will allow access into certain areas.
-
If you are bringing your baby and would like to camp in the Mum’s and Bub’s area please notify the gate staff when collecting your vehicle pass.
-
We will have a quiet & solo camping area, please indicate if you wish to camp in this section while getting your ehicle pass.
-
You are to write your name and contact number on your pass and have it displayed on the car dashboard at all times so that in the event that we need to move a vehicle, we can contact you.
CONTRACTORS
Please be aware, we will have council staff and some waste removal contractors that do not identify as women onsite.
They will all be wearing high vis vests and escorted by staff.
WAITING BAY
We are excited to provide attendees with an area where they can wait for their friends if they want to camp together. Please note, that this area is located immediately after the ticketing area. We do not allow attendees to save campsites unless you are bringing your friend's equipment and camping gear. They can then park their vehicle in the Day parking area.
KISS AND GO/ DROP OFF
The Kiss and Go/ Drop Off area is located at the main gate. Your ticket can be scanned here. This area is designed for anyone who needs to be dropped off or picked up from the site during the festival.
POWER
Power is only available to attendees that have purchased a power ticket for medical accessibility reasons. Patrons must have had a valid reason to purchase this ticket.
Campers with a powered site will camp in the accessible area, behind the healing haven/ mums & bubs area or in the glamping area.
Power cannot be used for high voltage electrical equipment such as a kettle and hair dryer. This will short-circuit the system.
Please bring your power bank.
MOBILE SERVICE
Our new site is rural, and with 1000s of people at the festival at any given time we cannot guarantee you will have phone reception with your preferred provider. Optus seems to have the best reception out of all mobile providers.
WASTE MANAGEMENT & SUSTAINABILITY
We are aiming for a plastic-free festival. All food service providers will be using compostable takeaway containers and utensils.
You must take out what you bring in. Please bring your own rubbish bag for any of your own rubbish you bring to site.
If you need one, you can ask for one from the Info tent.
Seven Sisters Festival 2023 direct sustainability actions:
-
Ban the sale of plastic bottled water and plastic straws
-
Continue composting as part of our waste management system
-
Provide a wash station to promote reusable cups and crockery
-
Sell re-useable water bottles and keep cups
-
Encourage attendees not to print tickets
-
Encourage attendees to be sustainable festival attendees and include guidelines on our website
-
Reduce, reuse and recycle festival materials where possible
GLAMPING
In case you’ve forgotten glampers, here is a lovely reminder of what your
complete setup stay-cation includes!
Basic Belle Glamping tents include:
-
5m water-proof canvas bell tent with mesh screened front door and vents, including:
-
Single or Double Comfortable foam/air camp mattress on a stretcher frame to sleep one or two people
-
NOTE: You must bring your own pillow & bedding.
Furnished Belle Glamping tents include:
5m water-proof canvas bell tent with mesh screened front door and vents, including:
-
Single or Double Comfortable foam/air camp mattresses to sleep one or two people
-
Quality bedding and linen
-
Bedside tables
-
Battery-powered bedside lanterns
-
Rug
-
Front doormat
-
Pathway lighting and signage..
ARRIVAL INSTRUCTIONS
-
Our ticketing team will ask you to identify yourself as a glamper at the ticket tent
-
You will then: be given a glamping vehicle access pass
-
Follow the entrance road until a Y-intersection where they will be directed to the glamping waiting bay and check-in tent
-
Park your car at check-in waiting bay and drop your bags
-
Check-in with staff at the check-in tent with your glamping ticket, and be given your tent number, map directions, and glamping lounge wrist band if you have purchased a luxury glamping tent or tipi glamping tent
-
Glampers have the opportunity to advise check-in staff if you require assistance in getting your bags to your tent
-
Return to your car in the waiting bay and travel to and follow directions to park in the glamping vehicle carpark
-
Glampers to move their belongings from the waiting bay into their tent
PROGRAM
You will be given a basic timetable on arrival, but you can start planning your Seven Sisters Adventure now by viewing our website and downloading our app.
CEREMONIES & WELCOME TO COUNTRY
An official Welcome to Country will be held by Aunty Jo Honeysett, respected Elder of the Taungurung People of the Kulin Nation. Aunty Jo Honeysett will also conduct a smoking ceremony, an ancient custom among indigenous Australians that involves burning various native plants to produce smoke, which is believed to have cleansing properties. We ask that you gather at the Festival Heart and remain quiet while this is taking place.
-
The Opening Ceremony is held at 6:00 pm Friday
-
The festival will conclude with another ceremony, with an opportunity for guests to gather, ground, and share their gratitude and acknowledgment of contributors, organisers, and staff. It is also the final point for sharing any news or information at 2:30pm in the Lake District.
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
Over the past 11 years, we’ve become more aware of the areas in which we as a festival need, and want, to change, grow, and learn. We want to ensure that every woman who attends our festival has the opportunity for transformation, joy, and fun in a safe and welcoming environment.
This page is an invitation for YOU to be an active part of this important and powerful journey with us
to co-create a festival where all women attending feel safe.
ACCESSIBILITY:
If you have any accessible requirements please contact info@sevensistersfestival.com, so we can assist you where possible.
COUNSELING & SUPPORT
If in need, the festival provides free counseling services, for those who are needing urgent support. Please go to the first aid tent and our nurses will call one of our onsite counselors who will be called to assist.
Please note there are a number of quiet retreat spaces on the grounds.
MAPS
The program includes a map of our festival site. This will be given to you on arrival. Please see map above and note the Festival grounds/ traffic flow.
COVID-19
We’re grateful that we are able to welcome everyone to the festival following a very tumultuous couple of years for us all. We are mindful that we have sisters in attendance with varying levels of immunity to not just covid-19, but any illness, so we encourage you to practice good hygiene and come prepared with your own mask(s), hand sanitiser, rapid antigen tests, and antibacterial wipes. While mask-wearing is not currently mandatory and much of the festival takes place outdoors, please be respectful and considerate of those around you if you are in a crowded area.
We would hate for illness to ruin anyone’s experience so we ask that if you are experiencing cold & flu symptoms you do not attend the festival and that if you begin to experience them during the festival you head to first aid and talk to our onsite nurses or head home to rest and recuperate. Anyone who tests positive to Covid-19 during the festival must alert a staff member and head home as soon as possible.
Please visit our website for Terms and Conditions regarding Covid 19 cancellations.
Let’s keep everyone healthy!
NOISES:
Please be aware that our Festival site is in the vicinity of Puckapunyal Military Training base, where live trainings may occur which can generate some loud backgrounds noises. Please don't be concerned, this is entirely safe and expected.
QUERIES
Please thoroughly read our website and FAQs for answers to any other queries before emailing info@sevensistersfestival.com for answers.
OPEN ARMS
Our Seven Sisters team awaits you with open arms and hearts and we ask you to join us in setting your intentions to create a warm, welcoming and transformative weekend for all.
We look forward to seeing you all very soon!
With Love,
The Seven Sisters Team
