Business ‘wellness’ gathering has to downsize – for now

Organisers of a major Noosaville wellbeing event scheduled for this weekend have shelved plans to serve alcohol.

The River Stage at Noosaville Lions Park will be the venue for the wellness barbecue on Sunday.

Organisers of a major Noosaville wellbeing event have shelved plans to serve alcohol just days out from the community get-together.

Noosa Chamber of Commerce had sought the exemption from Noosa Council as well as permission to breach the council’s COVID-19 crowd restrictions of 500 people ahead of its Great Aussie Wellbeing Barbecue.

The event is scheduled to take place from 1pm on Sunday at the Lions Park river stage.

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Last week council staff had recommended to councillors the chamber be allowed to serve alcohol, but retain the numbers cap imposed last year during the pandemic restrictions.

The event is billed as a celebration for business owners, staff and their families and friends “to come and have a snag together and talk about their experiences over the past 12 months or so”.

Noosa Council CEO Brett de Chastel at Monday’s general committee meeting said the chamber had since contacted the council about a change of plans.

“The chamber indicated they won’t be seeking to have alcohol and are not seeking to have 700 people,” Mr De Chastel said.

Noosa Chamber of Commerce president Rob Neely.

Chamber president Rob Neely said the event had been granted a liquor permit from the Office of Liquor and Gaming, which wouldn’t be used.

“The only reason we got the permit was because we had (local brewery) Heads of Noosa wanting to give away free beer,” Mr Neely said.

“But anyone who wants to come along with their own Esky is more than welcome,” he said.

Mr Neely said the 700 crowd size exemption was originally put in by mistake, but he has not ruled council at tomorrow’s ordinary meeting reviewing its COVID-19 restrictions to allow for an 11th hour relaxation.

“I’m quite hopeful the numbers will rise under the Noosa Covid events policy from 500 to 1500 this week,” he said.

He said Sunday’s event would be “just the tonic for Noosa’s business community”.

“There has never been a more important time in our history to rally around each other and work together,” Mr Neely said.

Cr Amelia Lorentson on Monday said chamber members and staff were the people who worked on COVID-19’s “frontline”.

“I think they understand the issue of mental health and (the) economic and social ramifications of the pandemic more than anyone else,” Cr Lorentson said.

“So I’m looking forward to supporting this event which supports the wellbeing of people in this industry.”

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