Welcome to Coolanghetto: How SandTunes concert could return the border suburb to bad old days

Fears have been raised that Coolangatta will return to its worst days due to one major change.

THE Queensland-NSW border beachfront streets will regain their reputation as Coolanghetto unless the SandTunes beach concert is stopped, State Parliament has been told.

Currumbin MP Jann Stuckey has voiced her disgust that Coolangatta beach, which hosts

Surf Life Saving titles, Cooly Rocks On, Opera on the Beach and the Quicksilver Pro, has become the venue for the Sandtunes music festival.

Drunken youths take to each other with their fists on the streets of Coolangatta back in 2010. Picture: Luke Marsden.

She said Coolangatta beach to Greenmount for two days from November 30 would be off limits to beachgoers from midday to 9pm as about 35,000 revellers trample the sand.

“The people of Coolangatta love to party, but they do not want Coolangatta to be thought of as a party town,” Ms Stuckey said.

“It took years for Coolangatta to regain its reputation after being labelled ‘Coolanghetto’. “Drugs will be rife. SandTunes is a high-risk event at this location. Heat, sand and water equals dehydration, drugs and alcohol.”

In May 2010 a media report showed the violence on the border street as youth gangs fought with retailers after midnight aware there was a lack of police patrols.

When Coolangatta had a reputation as Coolanghetto. Picture: Luke Marsden.

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Tourism leaders responded quickly, meeting with police chiefs, but it took time to restore Coolangatta’s reputation as a safe, family tourist destination.

Ms Stuckey said she could not understand why the Labor Party – after making good on a 2015 election promise to grant World Surfing Reserve status to the beach – had backed SandTunes.

“Coolangatta is the wrong location. The Byron Bay council would not spoil its beach. Splendour in the Grass is held in a paddock,” Ms Stuckey said.

“Big Day Out was not held on a beach. The event will be held at the wrong time of the year and be bad for Coolangatta’s reputation.

“Many visitors have already booked, unaware that they will not be able to go onto the beach or open their windows for the noise will travel up to three kilometres.”

A night out at Coolangatta ends for this youth back in 2010. Picture: Luke Marsden.

Ms Stuckey questioned Tourism Events Queensland’s major events objective of community pride.

“There has been no public consultation – none at all – nor any community information. It is appalling that residents have been ignored,” she said.

“Massive disruption will occur for 21 days with little if any economic benefit for small businesses that are still recovering from losses caused by the Commonwealth Games last year. “There will be no pass outs, so patrons will not be spending in town. SandTunes will a precedent for more large music concerts. It will kill local trade in Coolangatta.”