The Lost Paradise music festival, in Glenworth Valley, attracted 11,000 people this year. Photo / Instagram
The Lost Paradise music festival, in Glenworth Valley, attracted 11,000 people this year. Photo / Instagram
A man is dead and two others were hospitalised after taking a mystery drug at the Lost Paradise music festival in NSW.
A man has died and two others are in hospital after taking an "unknown substance" at a music festival north of Sydney on Saturday.
The 22-year-old Queensland manhad travelled to Glenworth Valley, on the NSW Central Coast, for the Lost Paradise music festival, kicking off on Friday and due to run until Tuesday.
Police claim the man ingested an "unknown substance" on the second day of the festival and was raced to Gosford Hospital after suffering an adverse reaction to the drug about 8pm on Saturday.
In a statement released on Sunday, the festival organisers said they had engaged DanceWize NSW, a program that is funded by NSW Health to educate people on the implications of drug use.
"This is a very distressing incident and our sincerest thoughts and condolences are with the family and friends of the deceased. The matter is the subject of a police investigation and we will continue to co-operate and provide whatever assistance we can.
"Lost Paradise is a strictly drug-free event that is about celebrating life, love and nature in a fun, safe and welcoming environment.
"A great deal of planning and effort goes into ensuring the safety and welfare of our festival-goers and event staff. We work closely with local police to try to ensure festival-goers respect our drug free policy and NSW Ambulance to provide extensive medical support across the festival site," the statement said.
The festival death comes weeks after 19-year-old Callum Brosnan died from a suspected drug overdose at a hardcore music festival in Sydney.
The teenage musician died after attending the Knockout Games of Destiny dance party at Sydney's Olympic Park.
Paramedics raced 16 other revellers to hospital, three people were placed in induced comas and a further 130 people sought medical treatment during the event for drug-related sickness.
The incident has reignited calls for the NSW Government to introduce pill testing, as the number of drug-related deaths continue to rise at music festivals.
Video still of Callum Brosnan dancing at Knockout Games at Sydney Olympic Park shortly before he died of a drug-related overdose. Photo / Facebook
People vented their frustration on social media, warning the government that more people would die if action was not taken sooner.
"Young people take risks. You are never going to stop it," one commenter, Nicola Booth, said.
Another, James Brechney, said NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian ruled out the possibility of pill testing "without even consulting experts".
"How many people have to die before they consider consulting an expert to consider pill testing?" he said.
