The Herald Sun has reported that the Ultraworld party at Kryal Castle on Saturday 8 December turned into something akin to a ‘war zone’, when 14 people were allegeded to have overdosed on drugs.

In the wake of the party, headlined by Paul van Dyk, Dr Jaycen Cruickshank – Ballarat Base Hospital’s head of emergency – stated to media that the event had renewed his calls for dance parties to be outlawed in the area. It’s reported that more than 70 police and sniffer dogs were out in force at the Saturday night rave, which was organised by respected promotions companies Hardware Corp and Killrockstar Entertainment.

The Herald Sun’s article claimed that party-goers blamed the exorbitant price of alcohol and the fact that people were consuming GHB as the main cause of overdoses. Ballarat newspaper The Courier also reported that the drugs at such recent events continue to frustrate police. Due to complaints from several events held at Kryal Castle, the Victorian Police, Rural Ambulance Victoria, Ballarat Health Services and the Moorabool Shire Council have met to discuss imposing conditions on the planning permit for raves at Kryal.

Emergency physician Dr Nigel Beck, who along with his medical team was stationed at the event, stated that he did not blame Kryal Castle or the event organisers for the overdoses, but said rave parties should be banned in Ballarat.

Stay tuned to ITM for updates.