Ann Wason Moore opinion: Solution to overcrowding and complaints at Burleigh Pavilion — build more of them

Residents close to the beachside Burleigh Pavilion have complained about noise and trading hours since it opened, writes Ann Wason Moore. But I have the answer: open up more of them.

WHEN it comes to beach access, it’s time we draw a line in the sand.

We may be proud that our finest asset is free for all to enjoy … yet the truth is that we can touch, but we can’t look.

Think about it, where can you go on the Gold Coast to enjoy a (non-takeaway) latte while savouring a sea view? Maybe at Mermaid’s BSKT cafe you can catch some wave glimpses if you find a high stool, or the occasional surf club will offer a breakfast service.

But when it comes to uninterrupted sea views paired with a quality morning brew, the only people who can experience that sensory delight are the millionaires living on absolute beachfront land.

Such a great view.

For the rest of us, a coffee by the beach is a $5 treat we can’t afford.

I’m sure there are a few exceptions to the rule that I’m missing, but the fact that I have to rack my brains to think of them really proves the point.

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In fact, it’s a problem I’ve bumped up against time and again as a regular host of international visitors. Where can I take my guests to enjoy a beachfront view without actually sitting on the sand or packing a picnic?

Sure, there are surf clubs but the veal parmy/schooner of beer/basic boardshorts/pokies vibe really doesn’t suit every occasion.

Burleigh Pavilion during high tide. Picture: Jerad Williams

Way back in 2004 when I was organising my wedding, I was determined our reception would have ocean views — I wanted to show off my beachside home to my American friends and family.

There was literally nowhere. From not one single venue could you see the sea. Eventually, I settled for the river, but 15 years later I’m still annoyed.

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These days, however, we have, um, pretty much the same situation.

Sure, you can get married on the sand itself, but the party afterwards is almost bound to be landlocked, unless you’re happy with the surf club.

One of the few beach reception options — indeed, one of the few beachfront dining options — is the iconic Burleigh Pavilion, which is rapidly becoming a victim of its own success.

Featuring casual and formal dining, it has one of the best buzz atmospheres on the Coast.

The problem is that because there is nowhere else like it, it’s where everyone goes.

Delicious dining at Burleigh Pavilion.

As a result, neighbouring residents are understandably annoyed. Burleigh is more a dining and less a party precinct. It’s neither made nor meant to be a second Surfers.

But with views like that and a crowd not bound for the surf club, it’s struggling under the tide of popularity.

Residents and politicians alike are concerned that the appetite for the Pavilion scene will lead to longer hours, more noise and more pollution — particularly with owner and Sydney-based hotelier Ben May applying for a hotel licence for the Burleigh venue.

In fact, the application has sparked a protest campaign about the future of the exclusive oceanfront site.

Yet the truth is that we don’t need to shut down the Pavilion, nor do we need to extend its hours. We simply need to replicate it.

Why should the millionaires in their mansions or sky towers be the only ones to enjoy a drink or a meal with a priceless view?

By restricting dining development along our seafront, we’re denying ourselves a true sensory pleasure and a tourism boon.

At the very least, I’d love to see some of our surf clubs pivot from the parmy-and-pot-of-beer atmosphere to provide an alternative vibe. However the pokies are always going to be a problem. Talk about a mood killer.

Or, as property guru and TV personality Andrew Winter recently suggested, why don’t the surf clubs operate their own beach bar/cafe? Proceeds would go to a community club, it would be run by those who are passionate about preserving our beaches and, bonus, no pokies.

Yet business on the beach is proving a contentious topic.

What we need is a move towards opening up more commercial space on the beachfront. If a home is for sale on the sand, why shouldn’t a business be allowed to buy it? (Assuming appropriate location, reasonable trading hours, parking permits etc.)

And any beachfront developments should, by necessity, incorporate public commercial space. (Think Hawaiian hotels.)

Beachside dining should not be reserved for the rich only.

We might well have a right to access the ocean for free, but surely we deserve to have our beach and look at it too.