Martin Joseph Mahoney was caught at a Warrenheip service station on January 17 with 40 times the trafficable amount of cocaine, of between 78 and 93 per cent purity. He also  had 13.7 grams of MDMA, 78.9 grams of Ketamine, 40 milligrams of LSD, 18.3 grams of tetrahydro cannabinol and $10,705 cash.

The Melbourne ‘glamping’ business operator was contracted by festival organisers to provide tents during the five-day bush bash at Lexton, which attracted more than 14,000 people.

The festival has developed a reputation with police, particularly after a number of drug-related incidents in recent years, including two deaths, drug-driving, drug trafficking and sexual assaults. A reveller died in 2012 while another lost his life in 2017 from drug-related causes.

Ballarat magistrate Mark Stratmann told Mahoney on Wednesday his offending was aggravated because he was on his way to a music festival with the “quite serious illicit drugs”. He refused Mahoney’s summary jurisdiction application to have the case heard in the Magistrates Court because his offending was too serious.

“Mr Mahoney has taken significant steps to make changes to his life but the seriousness of the offending is such that the application made today is refused,” Mr Stratmann said.

The court was told Mahoney had completed a drug rehabilitation program.

Defence barrister Jacob Kantor said his client’s rehabilitation had been remarkable and he had provided regular and random drug urine samples which were all clear.

The prosecution opposed Mahoney’s application, saying he had a prior conviction for similar offending, the drugs’ purity was high and he was attending the festival to sell the drugs.

Mahoney, of Melbourne, pleaded guilty to six charges, including four counts of drug trafficking and one count each of possessing MDMA and dealing with the proceeds of crime.

His plea hearing will be held in the County Court at Ballarat in January. He is on bail.

Co-accused Pedro Gomide, 36, pleaded guilty to possessing a drug of dependence in September and was placed on a diversion program, avoiding a conviction.