CASHLESS STRAWBERRY
Once again, Strawberry Fields is going cashless!
HOW DOES IT WORK?
What is a Cashless Festival? How does it work at Strawberry?
At a cashless festival, you pay with an RFID wristband rather than cash or a credit card. A cashless system is safer and allows you to be served a lot quicker - no more lost wallets or cash!
The cashless system also enables us to integrate the Rewash Revolution into Strawberry Fields Festival - a reusable crockery initiative that reduces single-use plastic/ waste and reduces our impact on the environment.
How do I get my wristband?
You will be issued with your wristband upon entry to the festival site or a SF Bus by showing your Legal ID and valid Festival Ticket.
Your wristband is NOW your wallet.
The wristband you get at the gates or before boarding your SF Bus will have a small RFID chip inside - this is your digital wallet. Make sure to take a photo or make a note of the number on the back of the plastic RFID token as you will need this to claim a refund post-festival on any funds you haven’t used.
Add credit at the Top Up Station.
Top Up Stations are located in the Strawberry Fields Central Market area. You can top up using either cash (kiosk only) or card (self-serve screens or kiosk) - card transactions incur a surcharge of 2%.
Simply tap your wristband to buy food, drink or retail items across the festival.
No need to worry about coins, change or carrying around your wallet. Cash and Credit Cards WILL NOT be accepted by any vendors at the event.
Scroll below to read Cashless FAQs.
Cashless FAQS
Can I still pay cash for things?
No - Strawberry Fields is 100% cashless. This means you load “Berries” onto your festival wristband in order to be able to pay for things across the festival.
Cash and credit cards WILL NOT be accepted by any vendors at the event.
What are berries?
“Berries” are the Strawberry Fields Festival currency. All sales points across the festival accept Berries. $1 AUD = 1 Berry.
How do I get berries?
To pre-purchase credit prior to the event, head to paytix.com.au and select Strawberry Fields under upcoming events. Select a currency package to buy, enter your details and proceed to payment (please note there is a 3.5% fee for online top up).
You will be emailed a currency package ticket. Bring this ticket to the dedicated pre-purchased credit lanes at the Top Up Station in the Central Market once inside the festival to redeem onto your wristband.
Alternatively, to load your wristband with Berries at the festival, simply head to the Top Up Station in the Central Market. You can add credit using cash or card (please note there is a 2% surcharge on all card transactions).
The first time you top up/redeem your pre-purchased credit you will be charged a one-off activation fee of $6, this will be deducted from your initial top up.
How do I buy stuff?
Once you have loaded currency onto your wristband you can visit any of the food, drink or merchandise vendors at the festival.
Every sales point at the festival (e.g. market stalls, bush spa) has an RFID chip reader. All you need to do is hold your wristband against the reader and the correct amount of Berries will be deducted from your balance. Tap and go baby!
Can I check how many berries I have left on my wristband?
Yes. You can ask any vendor or top-up staff member to scan your wristband to see how much credit you have remaining. After each transaction, the vendor will also show you the balance you have remaining.
Why am I charged an extra 5 BERRIES when I purchase food?
Don’t worry! This is just a deposit.
In order to drastically reduce single use waste, we are bringing back the Rewash Revolution to Strawberry Fields.
This means every piece of crockery used at the festival is washed and reused.
When you buy a meal, you will be charged a 5 Berry deposit per item of crockery in addition to the cost of your meal.
When you’ve finished, simply drop off your crockery at the wash station in the market area and your deposit will be immediately loaded back onto your wristband.
Can I return crockery THAT I DIDN’T USE?
Absolutely. If you clean up after other people, you get their 5 Berries loaded onto your wristband! Score.
How much should I top up?
Up to you, but remember that your RFID card is essentially the same as your wallet. If you lose your wristband, you lose the balance of your RFID card. Unfortunately we cannot offer refunds of your credit during the festival itself, so only top up what you think you will spend.
Can I get a refund on my berries?
Of course! After the festival, you can get a full refund of your remaining credit (no matter what the amount!) by visiting the Strawberry Fields website and using your unique RFID ID number and serial number (the numbers on the back of the token on your wristband).
No transaction fees are charged, and you get the full remaining balance refunded.
Unfortunately we cannot offer refunds of your credit on site during the festival itself, so only top up what you think you will spend.
How long do I have to make a refund request?
Refund requests must be made within 7 days of the refund portal opening post event.
The refund portal will be open from 9am Tuesday 19th November and close at 9am on Tuesday 26th November.
Once online, Simply enter your full name, email address, BSB, Account Number as well as the RFID and 4-6 digit serial number printed on the plastic chip on your wristband and hit complete!
Please note, refund requests can only be processed after the refund portal for the event you attended has closed. We aim to have your refund processed within 7-10 working days from then, unless there is an error in the details you provide which could delay the process.
The refund portal has now closed and refund requests are no longer accepted.
What are the opening hours of the top up station?
Thursday 14th: 2pm-midnight
Friday 15th: 8am-midnight
Saturday 16th: 8am-midnight
Sunday 17th: 8am-midnight
Monday 18th: 8am-10am
What if I lose my wristband?
If you lose your wristband, you lose the balance of your RFID Wallet. Your wristband is also what signifies your ability to be inside of the festival. So treat it as an item of the utmost value - don’t lose it!
What happens if I have a question about my wristband at the event?
Look out for one of our friendly staff at the top up station who can assist you with your wristband.