UPDATE: Falls Festival will hold a special bushfire appeal on New Year’s Eve to help generate funds for communities affected by the devastating Christmas Day fires.

All proceeds from the $99 tickets will be donated to the Red Cross. Tickets are available at Oztix.

Earlier on Sunday, the Government announced a $200,000 grant to help the festival relocate to its emergency base at Mt Duneed.

Organisers have been in a race against time to set up for Monday’s festival opener at its temporary Mt Duneed Estate site, which helped stave off a potential eight-figure blowout by providing a last-minute lifeline.

media_camera Last-minute preparations for Falls Festival at Mt Duneed Estate.

While it has been held in Lorne for the past 22 years, the weekend’s devastating bushfires meant it was too dangerous to host the four-day festival at the regular Falls Farm venue.

The State Government has contributed $150,000 to the festival, with a further $50,000 from the Federal Government.

Tourism Minister John Eren said the funds would help cover the relocation costs of the sell-out festival.

“This is a vital and historic event for this region and it was important to see the show go on for the local economy and those attending,” Mr Eren said.

Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley said the determining factor in moving the festival was people’s safety.

“The Falls Festival organisers were engaged from the beginning and have respected the expert safety advice given to them that has prompted the need to relocate the event.”

All Lorne tickets will be accepted at the gates.

Refunds were not being offered, although ticketholders could switch to gain entry at either Marion Bay or Byron Bay festivals.

Mt Duneed Estate

Following meetings with emergency services and fire authorities, organisers announced the new location just after 7pm on Boxing Day.

In a blog post, organisers wrote: “We have been working very hard over the past 24 hours to secure a new venue for the festival, and we’re pleased to announce that the show will go ahead nearby at the Mount Duneed Estate!

“We have been working closely with the local emergency services, Councils and CFA and unfortunately the Lorne farm is a potential high risk site for the 2015 event.

“We would like to thank the Surf Coast Shire and Geelong Councils, emergency services and A Day On The Green. Our hearts and thoughts are with our local communities.”

The move has been met with approval from festivalgoers, who were left on tenterhooks while awaiting the decision.

“It will be a lot different but it has really nice grass I would think it would be good,” Christine Boudrie-Shearer wrote on Facebook.

Others have called for the event to keep the bushfire-affected towns in mind, including Lyn Jenkins Oliver, who wrote: “Wouldn’t it be great if they donated some of their profits to the people of Lorne?”

V/Line will run a special coach service for Falls Music and Arts Festival revellers after the event was moved to Mount Duneed Estate.

Coaches will run to the same timetable as V/Line’s Geelong to Apollo Bay service, with services leaving Mt Duneed on the Lorne departure time.

The V/Line Geelong to Apollo Bay coach service will continue to operate to its regular timetable via Lorne during the festival.

Popular acts including The Wombats, Melbourne Ska Orchestra, Wavves, and Foals are slated to play at Lorne.

The winery recently played host to Elton John’s A Day on the Green concert, which attracted thousands of fans.

More information can be found here.