Sunshine Coast Coolum Pines Motocross fears bankruptcy after council warning and noise complaints
A long-running Sunshine Coast motocross club fears oblivion after the local council took action following a string of complaints. Read why here.
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A Sunshine Coast motocross club running for more than two decades fears it could go under if it has to slash its opening hours following a string of noise complaints.
Opening in 2000, Coolum Pines Motocross along Research Street, Coolum is home to Suncoast Junior Motorcycle Club and holds a children and adult dirt track, classes, and major events.
Coolum Pines Motocross vice president Nathan Flanders said his beloved club received an enforcement notice from the Sunshine Coast Council last week, saying it must reduce its opening hours.
Mr Flanders said his club – previously open every day – was told to cut back to once a Tuesday, one Sunday a month, and one Saturday each quarter.
“If they don’t withdraw or amend this enforcement notice, they would be forcing the club into bankruptcy,” he said.
Mr Flanders said the notice came after ongoing negotiations between the club and council on dialling back operating hours following several noise complaints from a nearby suburb that started early last year.
He said he was happy to compromise with the council by opening only three days a week, but negotiations and the future of his club were still up in the air.
He said the collapse of his club would be “massively detrimental” to the sport as there weren’t any places like his for hundreds of kilometres.
What’s more, his club also needed to relocate after Economic Development Queensland – which owns the club’s land – said it wouldn’t be renewing the club’s lease when it expired in December, 2023.
But with the limitations at top of mind, Mr Flanders doubted there would even be a club to relocate.
Sunshine Coast Council councillor Maria Suarez said the council was applying some limitations on the club to balance the needs of the club and residents given noise complaints had existed for at least the past seven years.
Ms Suarez said while it was a much-loved club for riders, its use was also never correctly established.
The council had also been trying to find other state and private land for its relocation.
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