Maitreya has been cancelled

Organisers have announced Australia's Maitreya festival, due to kick off today, has been cancelled.

After weeks of insisting the festival would take place, despite not being granted a permit by the local Buloke Shire council, the pin was pulled on the under-fire event yesterday. A post on the Maitreya (or 'Yourtreya') Facebook page reads:

“To the dear people of our tribe, we are having to call off the event due to the weather that has occurred up onsite the past 24 hours. There is no safe way into and out of the site. We urge you not to come as it is not safe onsite. Thank you for all your support and we will be in touch soon. X Maitreya team”

Heavy rain has fallen in the area, outside Charlton in north-west Victoria, over the past few days, but many of the 10,000 ticket-holders are unsatisfied with the festival blaming mother nature for the last minute cancellation.

Organisers had previously said they had secured a different site "just down the road" from the planned Lake Wooroonook location. But any hopes of the event going ahead unravelled as Victoria Police, the Country Fire Authority (CFA) and Ambulance Victoria warned festival-goers their safety could be at risk if they attended. With the pressure from authorities too strong, contracted power, sound and lighting companies, food vendors, and some artists had reportedly withdrawn. To cap it off, Maitreya's insurance company cancelled its policy.

An announcement on refunds is yet to be made by the festival.

Scott Carbines is Mixmag's Australian Online News Editor, follow him on Twitter.