Iconic Noosa surf shop closes

Noosa's own Golden Breed has closed its doors with the iconic beach shack earmarked for redevelopment

CLOSED: Paris Smith, Insa Rassau, Dennis Nancarrow and Golden Breed owner Nick Van de Merwe outside the iconic surf shop. Picture: Caitlin Zerafa

RECOGNISED as the first landmark you see before venturing into Hastings St, Noosa's iconic Golden Breed surf shop closed its doors yesterday.

The beach shack will soon be demolished to make room for a new development.

Owner Nick Van de Merwe was devastated to have been kicked out after a"legal grey area" with hislandlord.

He had been working with lawyers to fight the closure after issues with a lease agreement.

"This is tragically sad for our business because we are closing for all the wrong reasons," he said.

Golden Breed opened 10 years ago in the building that had survived decades in Noosa and Mr Van de Merwe said the shop was popular with locals and visitors.

"So many people think the shop encapsulates the simpler times of Noosa," he said.

"This is a traditional, old- school kind of surf shop."

While the building is somewhat iconic, it is not heritage-protected.

Noosa Council's Environment and Sustainable Development director Kim Rawlings said an application to the council to demolish the building was approved and the new structure would comply with the Noosa Plan.

"The new Golden Breed building is much smaller than the existing one, as much of the existing building has no approvals in place, and complies with the site cover and built form provisions of the Planning Scheme," Mr Rawlings said.

Mr Van de Merwe thanked the community for their support and said they were "bubbling away at a plan" to continue Golden Breed in Noosa Heads.

Originally published as Iconic Noosa surf shop closes