Gold Coast City Council under fire for bongo drumming ban

A WEIRDLY specific sign banning bongo drumming and fire twirling has caused outrage and residents say the council is acting like the “fun police”.

Burleigh locals are outraged after a sign banning bongo drums and fire twirlers popped up in the park. Photo: Facebook

A VERY specific sign in a Queensland park is being met with ridicule and outrage by locals who say their council is acting like the “fun police”.

The notice, which has been erected in Justins Park at Burleigh Heads this week, informs park-goers that playing bongo drums, fire twirling and slacklining — balancing on a slackened chain or rope — are now banned.

The Gold Coast suburb is known for hosting gatherings of fire-twirlers and bongo players every Sunday — a well-known tradition which residents say has been taking place in the laid-back community for almost two decades.

Known as the Bongo Beat and described as “our own little part of Byron Bay”, the weekly community event was a drawcard for families, friends and tourists alike, according to My Guide Gold Coast.

Burleigh Heads is a popular spot for fire-twirlers on Sunday evenings.

However, Gold Coast City Council says the new rules have been introduced in an effort to clamp down on drugs, alcohol, and anti-social behaviour in the Burleigh park.

Area Councillor Pauline Young says rogue individuals have ruined the popular activities at the park for everybody and the council was left with no option but to issue an outright ban.

But some locals say the ban is ridiculous and obviously targeting “hippies”. Only a day after the sign was installed on Monday, it was defaced by vandals who wrote “fun” over the list of prohibited activities.

The controversial sign has already been vandalised. Picture: Supplied.

One resident told news.com.au that the ban was an attack on Burleigh Heads’ laid-back culture.

Local resident Billie-Rose Harvey recently moved to the town specifically because of the spirit of the community and its “family friendly and free community events” such as the fire-twirling gatherings on Sundays.

“I was absolutely shocked to hear about the ban,” she told news.com.au. “The reason we decided to move to Burleigh Heads was because of the laid-back nature and village spirit of the town.

“These family friendly and free community events have been going on for almost two decades and it has always been such a highlight to watch the performers on a Sunday afternoon.

“It is a real drawcard to the town. It is a shame to hear, and I hope that this ban will be reversed immediately so that the locals can continue to enjoy and participate in the traditional festivities.”

Other residents poked fun at the ban on social media. “‘No Hippies’ would’ve taken up less space and gotten the same message across,” wrote one Reddit user.

“The solution is conga drums, fire juggling and tight-lining,” wrote another.

Slacklining is a popular activity at the park. Picture: Stewart McLean

However, Cr Young said the ban was necessary to tackle issues reported to the council by nearby residents such anti-social behaviour, excessive noise and a lack of respect for the space, as well as graffiti.

She said young children had been exposed to individuals “cutting up hoses and making bongs”.

“We’ve been dealing with concerns raised by a large number of residents about activities in the park when the bongo playing and fire twirlers have been there,” she told the Gold Coast Bulletin.

“In recent months I’ve taken phone calls well into the night with locals concerned by the users not respecting start and finish times, the effect the activities have on the local amenities, excessive alcohol consumption and the drug paraphernalia found on a Monday morning.

“The actions of a rogue few, are reflecting back on, what used to be a very popular event.

“For the last month, we’ve been working alongside a stakeholder group, to come up with a better direction, and bring groups who use the park for recreational activities into line, under the same permit.”

Groups are now required to apply for a permit.

Originally published as Gold Coast City Council under fire for bongo drumming ban