The Lost Paradise music festival will be the next significant event to implement an onsite drug checking service as part of the New South Wales (NSW) drug checking trial. This initiative aims to enhance harm reduction measures for festival attendees. Scheduled to take place from December 28, 2025 to January 1, 2026 at Glenworth Valley on the NSW Central Coast, it marks the eighth festival participating in this ongoing 12-month trial.
Festivalgoers will have the opportunity to bring small samples of substances for analysis by qualified health staff. This free and anonymous service provides rapid evaluations, informing patrons about the content and potency of their samples. Attendees will also receive guidance on minimizing risks associated with substance use. Trained peer workers will be present to offer tailored advice and support, ensuring a confidential and non-judgemental environment.
Despite the ongoing illegality of illicit drugs in NSW, the trial acknowledges the prevalence of drug use at music festivals. Dr. Kerry Chant, the NSW Chief Health Officer, emphasized that the service aims to help individuals make informed decisions, thereby reducing drug-related harm. “This trial aims to inform individuals about substances, allowing them to avoid dangerous substances, discard high-risk drugs, make safer and more informed choices and potentially avoid serious health risks,” she stated. “Our priority is to reduce harm and keep people safe.”
Collaboration between NSW Health, festival organizers, and other stakeholders is crucial to the effective implementation of this trial. Spokespersons for the Lost Paradise music festival expressed their commitment to safety and wellbeing, stating that drug checking is a proven harm reduction measure. “Our priority is always the safety and wellbeing of patrons. Providing people with free, confidential, and non-judgemental advice helps them make better decisions,” a festival representative explained. “We welcome and support NSW Health on this Government-led harm reduction initiative and support a safer festival environment.”
The NSW drug checking trial is set to encompass up to 12 music festivals until the end of February 2026, at which point an independent evaluation will assess its effectiveness. This initiative follows the recommendations of the 2024 New South Wales Drug Summit, which concluded in December 2024 and highlighted the need for music festival-based drug testing as a priority action.
For more details about the drug checking trial, interested parties can visit the official NSW drug checking trial website. Additionally, young people can find resources on how to keep themselves and their friends safe at music festivals through the platform Your Room.
