Jann Stuckey: Beach bar proposals need consideration to avoid environmental, social problems

Before giving the green light to beach bars on our public beaches our Council needs to consider their decision very carefully and address all of the issues that a determination of this nature presents, writes former Currumbin MP Jann Stuckey.

Before giving the green light to beach bars on our public beaches our Council needs to consider their decision very carefully and address all of the issues that a determination of this nature presents. While the concept of a beach bar sounds attractive it’s not as simple or straightforward as it seems.

At first glance they sound laid back, appealing to tourists and locals alike – and seemingly a good fit for the Gold Coast which is blessed with over 50 kilometres of stunning, sandy iconic beaches. However, there are numerous challenges to overcome from structural issues and bathroom facilities to public opposition to private usage of our beaches, damage to the natural environment, and noise and disruption from loud music.

Putting a permanent footprint on a public beach is a big deal and deserves thorough investigation and consultation.

The beach bar trial at Kurrawa on the Gold Coast - visitors on the foreshore deck.

On a recent trip to Nice and Cannes in May I experienced the ambience of beach bars first hand. Beach bars are bumper to bumper for kilometres. In Nice the promenade is super wide and is seven kilometres long. There’s a main road between any living quarters or accommodation so there’s a considerable noise buffer unlike sections of the Gold Coast. They only operate in warmer months.

The landscape is different with rocky cliffs to flat beaches. Towns are not connected like here where, apart from a couple of headlands they are joined together as one long strip. Most of the beach bars/restaurants play loud music afternoons and evenings. Beaches often have rocks not sand and are tiny and narrow not expansive like ours with sand dunes and native plants. The only plants you see there are in pots.

Many restaurants have concrete ramps and steps to access them as they are below sea walls. They have permanent toilets and cooking facilities within each establishment underneath the promenades.

Beach Bar in Nice.

In early December last year I stayed at Glenelg, a beachside suburb of my hometown Adelaide. There was a beach bar a few hundred metres away tucked under the boardwalk and an amusement park with a large ferris wheel. It had a low white picket fence around it and wasn’t open but a sign said there was no entry charge. Currently it stands alone next to Glenelg jetty but I wonder how long before others join it.

So, before any decisions are made by council here’s a few things to consider.

• If the Council plan to commercialise our beaches they should not categorise beach bars as nature or environmental as they are leisure and entertainment first and foremost.

• There are plenty of activities that can be and already are occurring on our beaches, however they are not permanent or seasonal fixtures.

• Beware of the creep along the foreshore – once you allow one, then others will follow as it will be very difficult to prevent them.

• Consultation should consider how much damage commercial activities create. In Coolangatta council are still returfing after May’s music festival 2 months ago. Council has shown it’s not very good at protecting community amenity on several occasions with damage done to the natural environment as well as problems with transport.

• Competition factor – we have multiple surf clubs along our coast providing an outdoor beach leisure environment. With vacancies in major tourism areas like Surfers due to closure of bars and restaurants council’s focus ought to be on cleaning up the area not on low cost pop-up bars.

The beach bar debate at Kurrawa on the Gold Coast. This photograph shows the foreshore area at Broadbeach being considered for a draft management plan.

• Safety factor – alcohol and oceans are not a good mix especially when the sun goes down.

Conflicting situations will be created – it’s illegal to drink alcohol on the beach but will be

able to do so in designated areas.

• Long term consequences may not be favourable. Crime and anti-social behaviour has escalated around Burleigh since the opening of large entertainment venues.

• Southern Gold Coast beaches are a classified World Surfing Reserve which makes it a mockery to permit intrusions like beach bars on them.

• How does council decide who gets the licences? Will it be open tender or given to mates?

• The majority of our beaches are exposed to unpredictable weather and sand erosion which has been known to wreak havoc on coastal dunes and properties.

• Some beaches are more popular than others and closed for filming, music festivals, sporting competitions, skydiving and other activities. The number of days these activities occur must be limited so residents and holiday makers can access beaches where they live and stay.

Last month I pulled out a copy of a report ‘Commercial Activity on GC Ocean Beaches’, prepared by Promedia Public Relations, May 2014. That’s 10 years since any meaningful conversation. The consultation process was to gauge public and community sentiment along with commercial operators to create a plan to manage commercial activities on our beaches. This was a relatively extensive undertaking unlike what has occurred with the beach bar debate.

The beach bar trial during summer which only sought feedback from a narrow percentage of the population was not sufficient. All aspects, not only the complimentary ones, must be considered and broader, well advertised consultation would give a better understanding of public and commercial views on this topic.

The beach bar proposal for Kurrawa on the Gold Coast. This graphic shows the "groomed beach area".

In essence our beaches belong to us all and no-one should have to pay to access them or be restricted from walking on them. I remember the bad image created when Chinese tourist operators were charging tourists to walk on our beaches and only shop at certain stores.

Should beach bars proceed, then prescriptive rules to ensure a certain standard and also restrictions as to where they can operate need to be stipulated. Even with these rules, it’s very difficult to stop more beach clubs once one is allowed.

Our beaches and foreshores boast magnificent landscapes that dazzle without the need for man-made structures. Any infringement on them needs to be stringently regulated. Legislated limits to where they can be installed, operating hours, numbers of patrons and health and safety measures would be required.

In Council’s Ocean Beaches Strategy 2013 – 2023 (Version 1.0 August 2013) Council state they will “Develop a consistent approach to managing commercial activity on beaches.” ‘We will clearly define ‘commercial activity’ and actively engage stakeholders in the development of a commercial activity plan. This plan will clarify the rules around commercial activity on the beaches and management of these activities. We will ensure any commercial activity is closely monitored.”

Let’s hold them to it.

Jann Stuckey has lived on the southern Gold Coast since 1987. She was the Member for Currumbin from 2004 to 2020.

Originally published as Jann Stuckey: Beach bar proposals need consideration to avoid environmental, social problems