Ballarat Divisional Response Unit officers have charged a second man after locating what is alleged to be a traffickable amount of drugs following two separate searches at the Beyond the Valley music festival in Barunah Plains during the week.

Officers had intercepted a 28-year-old South Yarra man at the festival and conducted a search about 1.45pm on Monday December 30.

Police seized what is alleged to be 17 MDMA pills, four grams of cocaine, and seven other pills believed to be drugs of dependence.

He has been charged with traffick cocaine and MDMA, and was bailed to appear before the Geelong Magistrates’ Court on March 12, 2025.

Police also searched a 27-year-old Rippleside man at the festival about 5.25pm on the same day, seizing what is alleged to be 27 grams of cocaine and 15 grams of ketamine.

He has been charged with traffick cocaine and ketamine, and was bailed to appear before the Geelong Magistrates’ Court on March 12, 2025.

Police continued to have a highly visible presence at the Beyond the Valley music festival that was held at Barunah Plains south of Ballarat over December 28-January 1.

Under the new legislation, it is not a criminal offence to possess small amounts of illicit drugs if you are attending a drug-checking place as a client.

As a result, officers were not attending these sites at the festival unless responding to incidents requiring police attendance.

In a report issued during the week, Victoria Police stated that it “has zero tolerance for drug traffickers and officers will have no hesitation arresting and charging someone for this offence, no matter where it occurs”.

This story based on a Victria Police report

Ballarat Divisional Response Unit officers are appealing for public assistance after over $400,000 worth of items were stolen from the Ballarat suburb of Redan last month.

It is believed an unknown offender gained access to a shed on a residential property in Redan sometime between 18 April and 21 April.

Officers have been told that once inside the shed, the unknown offender has stolen a 1969 HK Holden Brougham, which is described as having a white bonnet, a white boot, and a grey undercoat on both quarter panels.

The victim, a 51-year-old man, was working on the car as a project, and it was not registered.

The car, estimated to be worth between $40,000 and $50,000, did not have licence plates at the time.

Investigators believe the same offender has stolen a variety of tools and machinery, including a hydraulic wrench, two welders, four line borers, two bore welders, a chainsaw, a plasma cutter, and a generator.

An assortment of motorcycle gear, scuba gear and two gold detectors were also stolen.

Officers have been told a white van with a trailer was seen in the area on 19 April and 20 April at around midday.

Investigators have released an image of some of the tools (above) in the hope that someone with information will come forward.

Anyone with any information about the theft was urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online via the Crime Stoppers website.