Out on the floodplain, where the towering gums and grey box line the Edward River, there is a place where, for two weekends a year, egos disappear, along with some clothes.

What is ConFest? I would hear people ask as the procession of vehicles packed to the rafters convoyed their way east of the tiny town of Moulamein. This year, I decided to put my curiosity to rest and see what the fuss was all about, and see if the myths matched reality. 

A reported 4,000 tickets were sold for this year’s Easter event held on a parcel of land that was once part of Woorooma, its most notable former owner, John Elliot. 

The line of vans, bikes, buses and cars stretched down the sand topped driveway as attendees waited patiently for their wristbands and parking allotments. A sense of joy and excitement radiated from the attendee who scanned my ticket.

“Welcome to ConFest,” they said beaming, standing shirtless before me with an intricate mandala tattooed across their chest.

My new welcoming friend was one of the many volunteers who make the five-day event run. While some opt for discounted tickets to carry out extensive volunteering during the event, even the standard ticket comes with a two-hour volunteering requirement.  

Vehicles are ushered into their respective categories from staying put camping, to access camping or just the basic carpark. Shuttle buses traverse the site helping some of the intrepid adventurers cart their extensive supplies to where villages of all shapes and sizes lay in wait.

The river snakes along the property’s boundary creating a host of different pockets and bends that have been transformed into some pretty impressive villages. Flags, lights, towering tents and even seas of cushions and pillows; the site feels more from a distant time than firmly rooted in the modern age. Technology access is non-existent as the influx of mobile phones not only overwhelm service on the site, but also access for the town and surrounding areas.

An info tent displays chalk board after chalk board of workshops, tutorials, performances or discussion groups that attendees have self-organised. The organic coming together of likeminded or just curious individuals plays host to offerings of singing, dancing, tai chi, yoga, alternative technology, fire twirling, circus skills, meditations, permaculture, cob/mud brick construction, sign language lessons and even tantra embodiment. All these are offered free with financial transactions limited to the market space. The market space offers food vendors, take dish names with a grain of salt, fried chicken is but artistic licence in this vegetarian only line up. Sales of drums, clothes and second hand books all take place with cash only as digital currency demonstrates their vulnerability. 

Colours, sights and sounds abound as a feast for the senses. Those who find it difficult to suspend judgment of the different or alternative may struggle to find contentment walking the trails of the site. Clothing is optional and an estimated 5 per cent have embraced the shedding of these societal norms, opting for our most natural state, even despite the at times frigid and wet conditions.

In honouring my commitment to volunteer, I chose to be of service in helping people move their mountains of earthly possessions to their new homes in the bush. Bag trolleys, carts and people loaded up like pack horses abounded, beading sweat and panting as they dragged their way through the carpet of mulched roly poly prickles. In doing so, I met an extraordinary array of individuals from all over the country, their professions as diverse as their locations, but all with a similar intent, an expressive, creative and connecting time. I even discovered that by telling someone a story about your name, they are less likely to forget it, hence the reason I remember Jordana. “It’s like the river Jordan, but with arna after it.”

It was an experience and I walked away feeling thankful. Aspects that resonated with parts of me, some things that challenged my held beliefs and an awareness and appreciation that we can all be very comfortable in our own skin.

This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 13 April 2023.