More than $54 million injected into local economy after DJ Fisher festival Out 2 Lunch
A Gold Coast leader says the two-day DJ Fisher bonanza has put Southport “on the map” after it injected more than $54 million into the local economy.
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A business leader says the two-day DJ Fisher bonanza has put Southport “on the map” after it injected more than $54 million into the local economy.
Paul Fisher – also known as DJ Fisher – successfully completed his two-day hometown festival, Out 2 Lunch, at Broadwater Parklands over the weekend.
The festival saw more than 30,000 people takeover the parklands, 29 per cent of whom made the trip from interstate.
Southport Chamber of Commerce president Trevor Bruger said the event delivered a “real and measurable value to Southport’s business community”.
“They (major events like Out 2 Lunch) drive foot traffic, increase local spending and provide exposure that money can’t buy,” he said.
“Hosting global talent such as DJ Fisher puts Southport on the map for tourists and investors alike, while reinforcing confidence in our local economy.
“These events are a catalyst for growth and the Southport Chamber of Commerce strongly supports their ongoing return to our precinct.”
Accommodation across the Gold Coast was sold out for the long weekend event, which DJ Fisher said was “sensational”.
“I love home,” he said on Instagram.
Gold Coast North Chamber of Commerce president Josephine Kadel said the success of events such as the Out 2 Lunch festival supported the idea of building the Gold Coast Arena at Carey Park.
“This precinct is ready to take centre stage,” she said.
“With major developments like the Gold Coast Arena and Carey Park transformation on the horizon, this is exactly the kind of recognition the area deserves.
“Out 2 Lunch is helping shine a light on local businesses and drawing people to Southport’s often overlooked but fast-evolving restaurant and hotel scene. All while breathing life into the city’s streets.
“With events like this continuing in the future, Southport is on track to becoming the beating heart of the Gold Coast.”
While the majority of locals embraced that beating heart a few others were caught off guard by the noise.
Some residents said the sound travelled as far as Paradise Point – 10km away from he event location.
A number of people were upset by the noise, but others were just happy to be part of it.
One fan wrote on a community Facebook page: “I’m loving it - wish it was louder.”
However on day two the noise complaints came in thick and fast – with community advocate and Labrador community page administrator Jenna Schroeder receiving an influx of complaints to the page.
“Personally the music didn’t bother me, but after seeing all the complaints Sunday night I did use a decibels app and it was above the limit in Labrador - up to 60 in my living room,” she said.
Ms Schroeder lives 2km away from the festival site.
The decibel limit for open air events in Southport is 70 decibels between 7am and 10pm.
The advocate, who ran as an independent candidate for Division 7 in 2024, said by the second night attitudes toward the event changed.
“On the first night, a post about the sound received over 200 comments - while many people were understanding, saying it was ‘just one night’ and not a big deal, and to let people have fun, others expressed concern,” she said.
“By the second night, as the volume peaked, I declined around six posts in 20 minutes, with most of them expressing frustration.”
Ms Schroeder said while festivals such as Out 2 Lunch are fantastic for the local economy and bring vibrancy to the area, they needed to meet council regulations.
A City spokesperson said the permitted noise levels were briefly exceeded on two occasions on Sunday.
“Officers who were on site alerted the organisers to the breach and the volume was lowered to acceptable levels within a few minutes each time,” they said.
“The City has followed up with organisers and is investigating.”
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