Toowomba’s Bar Wunder issued with notice to appear in court over failing to comply with public health orders

Declaring that ‘health orders have nothing to do with health’, the owner of a Toowoomba bar is due to face court after more than a week of allegedly failing to comply with the Covid mandate.

The owner of a Toowoomba venue is due to face court next month for allegedly failing to comply with public health orders.

Bar Wunder has become a darling of the anti-Covid mandate movement after a week of controversy engulfed the beleaguered venue.

The drama started after the state government’s new Covid-19 rules came into effect on December 17, effectively banning unvaccinated people from pubs, cafes, restaurants, festivals, entertainment venues, museums, galleries and libraries.

After repeated public statements against the mandate, the venue was slugged with a $6892 fine for allegedly failing to comply with the public health directive on the first weekend they came into effect.

People protest outside Bar Wunder after the bar was shut down over failing to comply with the public health direction. Picture: Kevin Farmer

In a lengthy Facebook post, Bar Wunder’s owners claimed they “do not believe this (is) a public health issue, but one of complete control headed towards tyranny”. They vowed to fight against “segregation”.

The issue came to a head on Thursday afternoon when Toowoomba police, supporting staff from the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation, entered the venue with a directive forcing the business to close due to allegedly failing to comply with the public health direction.

A small crowd gathered out the front of the venue as it was closed.

An OLGR spokesman said the state government’s public health directive required venues to undertake a number of activities in order to trade, which included “making all reasonable efforts to confirm patrons’ vaccination status”.

Crowds returned outside the venue on Friday to protest in solidarity, holding placards and singing and chanting in support of the venue’s management and its stance against the mandate.

Now the matter will be before Toowoomba Magistrates Court after a notice to appear was issued on December 24.

Police allege that between December 21 and 24, a 56-year-old man failed to comply with Covid-19 directions issued by an emergency officer under the Public Health Act.

The matter has been listed for mention on January 25, with the owners seemingly relishing the chance to have the matter put before a magistrate.

“These so-called health orders have nothing to do with health,” a Bar Wunder Facebook post stated.

“If we believed they did, we wouldn’t be on this trajectory. So we look forward to this date when we fight this nonsensical crap.”