ILLEGAL rave parties regularly drawing up to 800 youths in Cairns are standing in the way of a lucrative new industry and potential tourism drawcard.
Industry organisers have called for authorities to cut the red tape on event management in their bid to hold legal events for the region’s bored youth.
The call comes as out-of-hand events continue to draw hundreds of young followers to meetings in otherwise quiet suburbs.
“These renegade events are not going to go away unless authorities offer an alternative,” an industry veteran, who asked not to be named, said.
Recent parties at Redlynch for up to 800 teenagers have seen teens as young as 14 drinking on vacant private properties or land set for development.
Text messages are sent en masse to teenagers who converge on the properties.
Speakers are set-up, alcohol and drugs are taken and rubbish is left behind.
Freeform Collective’s Warwick Tierney, who organises the Winter Solstice Lifestyle Gathering, said illegal events were harming professional event organisers are trying to establish regular, legitimate attractions.
