Luke Mangan’s Southern Highlands lunch cancelled over council red tape

A celebrity chef’s long lunch beside the iconic Big Potato was set to boost Southern Highlands food tourism – until a sluggish council’s requirements killed the dream. Now, there are calls to slash the red tape.

Celebrity chef Luke Mangan has cancelled his long lunch event in the Southern Highlands. Picture: Tim Hunter

A springtime long lunch organised by celebrity chef Luke Mangan has been cancelled due to what organisers have called “excessive red tape” from a country town council.

Mangan had been organising a long lunch event near Robertson’s iconic Big Potato for September 28 with significant local support before council demands derailed the plans.

The three-course lunch, complete with hay bales, fire pits and live music, would have showcased Southern Highlands farmers’ produce, including the region’s famed potatoes.

However, Mangan’s team was told a full development application was required – a costly and time-consuming process that currently takes eight months.

Mangan said the event was intended to be a “celebration of great produce” aimed at putting Robertson “back on the map”.

Celebrity chef Luke Mangan.

“I pulled the plug on it … I don’t want to do it somewhere else,” he said.

“Everyone is trying to survive with their businesses...it was more for an activity, an experience and to bring people to the area – if you’ve got council stopping you ... it does make you wonder – what’s the point of it all?”

The event was due to be held close to The Big Potato in Robertson, Australia. Picture: Picture: Will Jones/Getty Images

He remains hopeful that the event could eventually go ahead, but only if council attitudes change.

Robertson Business Chamber President Jennifer Macquarie had strongly supported the long lunch initiative.

“We were excited, all he wanted to do was set up some tables and chairs and celebrate what makes this town special ... it seemed pretty straightforward,” Ms Macquarie said.

The timing also coincided with Wingecarribee Council’s Destination Southern Highlands initiative, which was actively seeking local food events to promote.

Mangan with then-NSW Premier Dominic Perrotett, then-tourism minister Stuart Ayres, and fellow chef Kylie Kwong promoting Sydney’s long lunch concept in 2021.

“For an event that would last a few hours, that kind of process is just absurd,” Ms Macquarie said.

The cost of preparing a DA was also a major deterrent, with estimates running into the thousands of dollars.

In a statement, a Wingecaribee Council spokeswoman said: “Under current planning regulations, events on private land require a DA unless they qualify as exempt or complying development.”

“In this case, the scale, duration, and nature of the event, including potential impacts meant a DA was required.”

Mangan said the experience had left him disillusioned.

“Everyone – from the Business Chamber to the local farmers – wanted it to happen,” he said.

“I thought it would be a great way to give back and celebrate the region.”

Moonacres Farm, one of the region’s most prominent Sydney restaurant suppliers, had agreed to collaborate on the menu.

The event would have also supported tourism operators, musicians, and small businesses.

“Events like this are essential to the vibrancy and sustainability of regional towns,” Ms Macquarie said.

She added that if the land had been council-owned, a faster and cheaper approvals process would have been available.

“This event definitely won’t go ahead as planned, and that’s a real loss,” she said.

“There’s so much opportunity here.”

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Originally published as Luke Mangan’s Southern Highlands lunch cancelled over council red tape