A popular Australian tourist destination has become a battleground as angry locals clash over a proposal to allow bars and restaurants to operate until midnight.
A heated debate has erupted over the Noosa Junction hospital site in Noosa Heads, a picturesque coastal town in south-east Queensland.
Noosa Junction is just a short walk up Noosa Hill from Hastings Street and has bars, restaurants, cafes, night markets and fashion boutiques.
Venues at ‘La Junga’, as it is known locally, feature local bands, DJs, karaoke and open mic nights, and attract locals and tourists alike.
Noosa Shire Council has received submissions from local residents in response to its proposed planning scheme amendments for 2020, which could extend trading hours until midnight seven days a week.
The proposed amendments have divided the tight-knit community, with two opposing petitions expressing concern about the measure.
Some locals are fully supportive of encouraging more nightlife in Noosa Junction, while others fear Noosa’s laid-back charm will be shattered.
A postal campaign and petition are encouraging residents to raise their concerns with Noosa Shire Council.
Excited residents of Noosa on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast (pictured) disagree over whether bars and restaurants in Noosa Junction should be allowed to operate until midnight.
Some residents argue that by extending operating hours, Noosa Junction will become a “seven-day nightlife hub” with increased noise pollution and traffic.
The petition to prevent Noosa Junction from becoming a “seven-day nightlife hub” was launched in response to the proposed changes.
Locals behind the campaign have expressed concerns that “impact assessments were not carried out” and that there will be “unintended results”.
These include noise pollution, nuisance caused by increased traffic and various safety and crime issues related to drugs and alcohol.
The petition claims no community consultation took place and there is a “lack of clarity” over provisions relating to music and entertainment.
Petition author Peter Stuehrenberg said live and recorded music that exceeds maximum noise levels and time limits “will become unbearable” for residents.
“This is not just for us, but for future generations who will call Noosa home,” he wrote in the campaign, which at the time of writing has just over 300 signatures.
In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, Stuehrenberg wrote: “No resident is against entertainment.
“However, if the associated noise or sound is so great that it affects sleep and late night and morning sleep, this will become a problem for everyone involved.”
“We therefore need a consultative approach which will take time to make suitable for all stakeholders.”
Locals are at war over whether bars and restaurants should be allowed to operate until midnight in Noosa Junction, with some residents worried the seaside town could become a “nightlife hub”.
Noosa Shire (pictured) is visited by more than two million tourists each year.
The Noosa Junction Association (NJA) has responded with its own petition; ‘Save our music. Save our nightlife. Don’t let the lights go out at Noosa Junction’.
So far, the petition has garnered more than 4,300 signatures.
The NJA said ‘The Junga’ caters to a variety of different groups, including “young families, early diners, bar goers, backpackers and night owls.”
‘Live music is a big part of that offering – it’s our beating heart. Support our local night-time economy and local jobs. “It brings together people of all ages,” he said.
Judi Lalor, NJA Marketing Director He described the regulations relating to music as “quite antiquated and draconian”.
Some locals say Noosa Junction has been an integral part of the community for decades and live music is the “beating heart” of the much-loved seaside town.
“We believe there is a commitment to allowing live music in Noosa Junction, but also to working with our local community and our residents,” he said.
“So there could be a compromise where the decibel limit could be raised a little bit or where the decibel limit is measured from could be changed.” But that doesn’t necessarily mean we’re saying that all venues should have music until midnight.’
Lalor said the NJA is willing to work with the council to establish what they believe is a more reasonable decibel level.
“We are on an urban street with transportation and the standard for small restaurants and bars is 75 decibels,” he said.
So that’s not really viable for any kind of music, not even acoustic, with a guitar or things like that. 75 decibels is basically a conversation. Buses make more noise when passing.
“So we’re asking for some changes, some reasonable changes.”
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Noosa Shire Council for comment.
