Opposition to a large-scale Harry Potter event in local bushland appears to be escalating. Workers only moved into the site at Jorgensen Park in Kalamunda, in Perth's eastern suburbs, on Wednesday, but welfare concerns have already been raised.
Workers Report Abuse and Vandalism
Staff claim to have been abused and recorded, while temporary fencing around a chunk of the crown reserve has also been damaged. In some sections, bags of dog waste have been tied to the fencing.
Entertainment company Fever has held the Forbidden Forest Experience in Melbourne and Brisbane and is looking to replicate it in Perth. Residents said in April they held several concerns, including that the event will be a curse on native wildlife.
Community Reactions
Workers preparing the Harry Potter-themed event say they have been abused and had their work damaged. Bags of dog waste have also been tied to the fencing. It is not suggested that those who spoke against it last month are involved in the current claims made by workers.
CCTV is now on the cards at the bushland site where the forest experience, billed as a “nighttime woodland trail filled with magical creatures and wizarding wonders,” is expected to run for months.
“I sincerely believed after having read everything from the experts about the environment that this event will not hurt a single tree or any animals,” Kalamunda Mayor Margaret Thomas told 7NEWS last month.
