Transport issues at Groovin the Moo Sunshine Coast

A 25,000-strong crowd attended the first Groovin the Moo festival to be held on the Sunshine Coast however a lack of transport wreaked havoc for several festival-goers.

Groovin the Moo, Sunshine Coast 2023. Picture: Patrick Woods.

The first Groovin the Moo festival to be held on the Sunshine Coast was deemed a success by emergency service workers despite major transport headaches for punters.

The major regional festival was held at the Kawana Sports Western Precinct on Sunday, attracting a crowd of around 25,000 people.

Despite the good behaviour, limited public transport in the area and weak mobile reception meant many festival-goers had trouble accessing transport to and from the event.

Groovin the Moo attendee Sophia said it took 2.5 hours to travel between her accommodation at Golden Beach in Caloundra to the festival at Kawana.

“We left our unit at 12.30pm and didn’t arrive to the festival until 3pm,” Sophia said.

“Most of that time was just trying to get an Uber.”

Groovin the Moo, Sunshine Coast 2023. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Other festival-goers have taken to social media to express their frustration at the transport options available to and from the event.

Facebook user Chloe Treeby said they were forced to walk 5km to get a ride home from the festival.

“Want to tell us why we had to walk 5km just to get a taxi/Uber home from Sunshine Coast? Where’s your transport plan!?” she wrote.

Tash Goodchild also commented on Facebook about the lack of public transport available to punters.

“Real good to see only the one bus this morning at 9am with no bus information …. “bus shuttle” service,” Ms Goodchild said.

Another Facebook comment by Kayla Bone read, “wow pick up your game on bus”.

Jonham Mortots tweeted buses were passing the stops already full of passengers.

“@groovinthemoo the bus services to get to the festival is an absolute sh--show on the Sunshine Coast, did any thinking go into logistics,” the tweet read.

“Buses are passing by full and wait times are astronomical.”

Groovin the Moo organisers had not responded to the Sunshine Coast Daily’s transport inquiry at the time of publication.

Groovin the Moo, Sunshine Coast 2023. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Meanwhile police charged 17 people with 21 drug-related offences following the major festival.

Sunshine Coast acting Inspector Jonathan McBride said the drugs confiscated were ecstasy or cannabis and the quantities found were for personal use.

“It’s a small percentage of the crowd given there were 25,000 there,” he said.

“The crowd were very, very well behaved and there were very few incidents.”

The police officer said no assaults were reported and there were only three arrests for minor offences inside the gates, of public nuisance, cannabis possession and possessing suspected stolen property.

Inspector McBride said there were difficulties with phone reception because of the number of phones trying to access the tower at the same time.

“There were a people who were scammed online as well,” Inspector McBride said.

They were turned away at the gates once it became clear they had a fake ticket, the police officer said.