Drug-fuelled 'doof' parties go unnoticed

A new type of rave party, known as a 'doof', is emerging in Perth's outskirts. Source: Supplied

A SECRET drug culture is bubbling just beneath the surface in the Perth Hills.

Doofs - similar to rave parties - are operating illegally in deserted areas of State Forest in the region.

The underground culture, which had its origins in the hippy communes in northern NSW and south-east Queensland in the '70s, is growing in popularity.

More than 2000 people attended a dance party, or doof, in the Hills over the Easter long weekend, where revellers allegedly consumed large amounts of alcohol and illicit drugs, including the hallucinogenic LSD, ecstasy and cannabis.

The doofs typically involve a massive sound system playing loud, bass-heavy electronic music. It is for this reason they are usually held in deserted places where police interference is unlikely.

The isolation of doof sites, which are often several kilometres from the nearest populated area, makes their policing almost impossible.

Neither the Department of Environment and Conservation, which manages WA's State Forests, nor WA police are aware of the illegal Hills doofs.

A police spokesman said Drug Squad detectives "have never heard about these incidents".

A DEC spokesman said there had not been any prosecutions of major offences committed in State Forests in the past two years and the department was unaware of any upcoming cases.

Dony Black