Frequently Asked Questions

  • No, we are not against this event. We are against it being held in a wildlife sanctuary. We want it to be relocated to a more suitable venue. A wildlife sanctuary is supposed to be a safe haven for wildlife not a theme park. We believe that having this event in The Briars Wildlife Sanctuary will cause both short and long-term damage to the flora and fauna.

    Even Harry Potter fans are concerned about staging the event in the Briars Wildlife Sanctuary.

    From page 16 of the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council, Briars Master Plan:

    ‘The Briars is an ark - a place which nurtures, protects and celebrates the unique flora and fauna of the peninsula, now rare but not lost.’

    A wildlife sanctuary is not an appropriate entertainment venue.

  • Unlike the markets, Sunset Cinema and music events that are held in the open space at The Briars, this event is being held within the fenced-off Wildlife Sanctuary. Within the sanctuary it will involve:

    • Light- and sound-scapes running until midnight for up to 7 days a week

    • Many generators being installed to power the lights, sound and special effects including smoke machines and animatronics

    • Up to 3000 people per night walking through the sanctuary

    • Changes to the pathways and possible removal of vegetation.

  • The area is not small according to our mapped walk of the Harry Potter Trail. The trail, which is approximately 2 km long, goes well into the heart of the sanctuary.

  • The Mornington Peninsula Shire Council approved this 'in camera', (behind closed doors), so details of the meeting are unknown and were not shared with the public. It is known that councillors had to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), presumably with Fever, the 'experience' originators and/or Warner Bros, to be able to hear all the details of the event and partake in the discussion. Councillors who did not sign the NDA were able to return to the meeting after the discussion and to vote.

  • The sound and light pollution from the displays will cause stress to the animals. Their daily and seasonal cycles, which include feeding and breeding, will be disrupted, especially for nocturnal animals who are active in the dark.

    The presence of up to 3000 people per night will add to this disruption, as will the noise from the banks of generators being installed to power the event.

    The event managers (Warner Bros and Fever) say that they are considering ‘the directionality of light and sound and that the experience will be adjusted wherever possible to minimise impacts to wildlife’.

    Save Briars Sanctuary concludes from ecological studies and research that sound and lighting cannot be reduced to a level that would ensure an exciting event for visitors and at the same time provide no threat to the animals.

    Habitats will also be affected as some vegetation will be removed to accommodate the exhibits.

  • The event will be run at night with illuminated pathways and ‘lighting sequences created within the lighting design that will have some flashing lights, (up to five flashes per second)’. There will also be visitors with phone cameras and flashlights.

    The Network for Ecological Research on Artificial Light (NERAL) states that daily and seasonal cycles of light and dark are among the most important drivers of ecological processes and interactions. The introduction of artificial lighting at night (ALAN) is altering these natural cycles. For many nocturnal species, darkness is critical for access to food and mates. Also, the reduction of naturally dark space may mean a loss of refuge for animals that use the darkness to rest and recover.

    The National Light Pollutions Guidelines for Wildlife published by the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy Environment and Water states that ‘Natural darkness has a conservation value in the same way that clean water, air and soil has intrinsic value.’ and that:

    ‘Animals perceive light differently from humans and artificial light can disrupt critical behaviour and cause physiological changes in wildlife. Consequently artificial light has the potential to stall the recovery of a threatened species.’

  • Wild animals often suffer chronic stress, fertility problems and change their migration routes when exposed to high levels of human generated noise which they cannot escape. Research shows that noise causes confined animals pain, fear and cognitive problems.

    Communication is the cornerstone of many animal species' survival strategies. Birds sing to attract mates, frogs croak to establish territory. Noise pollution can interfere with these intricate signals, rendering them incomprehensible or undetectable. The inability to communicate effectively can impede mating, territorial establishment, and even predator-prey interactions, ultimately disrupting the delicate balance of ecosystems.

    Bats, who hunt a night using echo-location will be particularly effected.

    While the non-flying animals will not be able to escape and find refuge from the disruption to their environment, there is serious concern that the flying animals (bats and birds) will leave the sanctuary and never return.

  • Although the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council has stated that the majority of the experience will be confined to existing paths, there is a completely new section of approximately 150 metres that cuts through a previously untouched area in the sanctuary. In addition, a significant portion of the Harry Potter trail uses tracks that were solely for management use, not public use. These trails pass directly by sensitive areas, such as one used by sugar gliders at night.

  • The event promoters, Fever, approached the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council to use the Briars Wildlife Sanctuary for the event. It is unknown if any other venues were considered by Fever or the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council.

  • The Mornington Peninsula Shire Council has said that the section of the sanctuary not involved in the Harry Potter experience will be open for the community and visitors. We know that when this event has been held in other countries, they have shut down the venue for several weeks before and after for set-up and pack-down.