OBJECT NOW

NO BEACH CLUB / BAR ON BROADBEACH FORESHORE

What’s the issue?

The Gold Coast Council has produced a Draft Land Management Plan (Draft Plan) for Broadbeach Foreshore. A major part of this plan proposes permitting a privately operated Beach Club/Bar to be established on a publicly owned reserve designated for parks and recreation purposes (not commercial/tourism purposes).

With strong support for beach clubs/bars from Mayor Tom Tate, this proposal may create an awful precedent for our free and open beaches to be a target for commercial development.

It is disgraceful for Council to propose the use of public land and publicly funded infrastructure for the exclusive benefit of a private operator.

If approved, the beach club/bar will encourage other operators to request similar licenced bars and other enterprises that want to charge the public for use of our beaches, undermining the Queensland Coastal Management Plan.

A beach club/bar would compete with Kurrawa Beach Surf Life Saving Club, a facility already providing food and beverage services and substantial community benefits in terms of surf patrols and a Nippers program.

(The Draft Broadbeach Foreshore Land Management Plan can be found here: https://gchaveyoursay.com.au/broadbeachlmp)

How will a beach club/bar affect the beach?

Free public access will be lost to part of our parkland and beach. Only paying patrons will be allowed.

The 2021/22 Kurrawa beach club trial was a massive visual intrusion on what should be an attractive, unbroken strip of dunes and natural dune vegetation.

The Draft Plan proposes clearing a substantial new area of existing dune vegetation immediately north of the Kurrawa Terrace and replacing it with grassed open space and groomed flat, bare sand.

This is an active dune system that should be kept covered with coastal grasses to minimise erosion and maximise its capacity to capture windblown sand.  

No specific site location for the beach club/bar is stated in the Draft Plan. It could be on the Kurrawa Terrace or on the proposed new cleared area.

Beach bars increase the risk of patrons swimming in the surf under the influence of alcohol.

Other Kurrawa beach goers and users of the adjacent park, including children, may be impacted by rowdy and anti-social behaviour from intoxicated patrons.

Beach clubs/bars destroy a major marketing point of difference with other international beach destinations – our family-friendly beaches have free access for everyone and are mostly free of exclusive commercial operations.  

What can we do about it?

Lodge your objection submission direct to Council now. Objections close 4 July 2024.

Join other residents and visitors to say “hands off our public parkland and beaches”.

The Community Alliance Association has prepared a template objection letter that meets the specific requirements laid out by Council for a properly made submission.

This makes lodging your objection quick and easy.

HOW TO OBJECT – QUICK AND EASY

First, fill in the “Return Address” form on this page.

Note: All fields must be completed for your submission to be accepted.

Then click on the START WRITING button.

This will take you to the template objection letter you can send to Council.

Feel free to change words or add your own comments in the draft letter provided.

Then just click the SEND LETTER button at the bottom of the page.

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THANKS FOR ADDING YOUR VOICE TO HELP PROTECT OUR PUBLIC PARKLAND AND BEACHES