Red Tape or Red Carpet? The Sunshine Coast’s Event Future
- Oct 1
- 4 min read
Events aren’t just entertainment, they’re the heartbeat of the Sunshine Coast. From trivia nights and live music to food festivals and sports carnivals, events bring our communities together, showcase local talent, and power our economy.
But outdated rules and red tape are making it harder for organisers, venues, and community groups to deliver the experiences we all love.
Think back to the last time you went to a local event. Maybe it was a food festival in one of our coastal towns, a live band at the pub, a market in the park, or a community fun run. Chances are you bumped into friends, supported a small business, or discovered something new that made you proud to call the Sunshine Coast home.
That’s the magic of events. They’re not just entertainment; they’re the glue that holds our communities together. They give us stories to tell, memories to share, and reasons to invite visitors to our patch of paradise. Each year the Sunny Coast hosts around 12% of Queensland’s weddings. And when you add up the jobs, tourism dollars, and flow-on effects to local business, events also pack a serious economic punch.
So, when Sunshine Coast Council asked for feedback on the Proposed Local Planning Scheme, the Sunshine Coast Events Industry Association (SCEIA) jumped at the chance to speak up. Because if we want the Coast to keep buzzing with creativity, connection, and opportunity especially as we head towards the 2032 Olympics, then events need to sit at the heart of our future planning.
Events Aren’t “Extras” They’re Essential
Too often, events are treated as something nice to have. But think about it: without festivals, concerts, markets, and cultural gatherings, what would our weekends look like? What would draw people into town centres after dark?
Events turn public spaces into shared playgrounds. They light up our “third places” the cafes, restaurants, pubs, parks, and community halls where we gather outside of home and work. These are the places where friendships are forged, where locals feel a sense of belonging, and where visitors get a taste of our unique culture.
On the Sunshine Coast, events bring our towns and villages to life. From hinterland food festivals to beachfront sports carnivals, they showcase who we are and what we’re proud of.
Events aren’t just moments in time, they help shape the identity of a place.
When people think back on an event, they don’t only remember the schedule or the entertainment, they remember how it made them feel, and they link that feeling with the location itself. Over time, events become part of the cultural fabric of a community, giving a place its character, its stories, its sense of being and identity.
A Chance to Get the Rules Right
Council’s vision of “a strong and creative community of communities” couldn’t be closer to what the events industry already delivers. But here’s the catch: the rules need to keep pace.
Right now, too many venues and organisers are tied up in red tape. Outdated noise restrictions mean that a trivia night or comedy gig can be classified as “live music,” triggering expensive approvals. Small businesses are told they need complex acoustic reports just to host low-key entertainment. And community groups wanting to run a yoga class or ukulele jam in the park face the same hurdles as a large music festival.
It’s overkill and it stifles the very creativity we’re supposed to be nurturing.
What Needs to Change
SCEIA’s submission to Council highlights some simple but powerful fixes:
Make events a planning priority: Explicitly recognise them as a driver of economic growth, community well-being, and cultural identity.
Protect and adapt venues: Support multi-use spaces from local halls to town squares, so they can host everything from small community gatherings to major festivals.
Cut red tape for small-scale activities: Differentiate between high-risk events and low-risk community activities like trivia nights or pop up charity gigs. One-size-fits-all rules don’t work.
Update noise standards: Adopt realistic thresholds (80–95dB or 10–15dB above background noise) measured at the nearest affected property, not 75 dB at 3 metres from a speaker. These levels are what most of us would call “normal.”
Modernise approvals: Make food, drink, and low-risk entertainment an expected part of cafes, bars, and restaurants without forcing operators through costly Material Change of Use applications.
Streamline complaints: Introduce a fairer system that weighs broader community support and benefit as well as precinct intent, not just a single objection.
None of these changes lower standards. They just make the system more practical, flexible, and aligned with how communities actually live, work, and celebrate today.
Why This Matters Now
The Sunshine Coast is already an events destination, but the next decade is our chance to step onto the world stage. The lead-up to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games will shine a global spotlight on our region.
If we get the planning right now, we can:
Create active and enduring day and night-time economies.
Grow jobs across tourism, hospitality, and creative industries.
Build stronger communities through cultural participation.
Position the Sunshine Coast as a national leader in liveable, sustainable event culture to attract and retain a flourishing workforce.
But if we don’t, we risk losing momentum. Small venues will shut their doors. Community groups will give up on red tape. Visitors will spend their dollars elsewhere. And locals will miss out on the social and cultural life that makes our region so special and underpins our status as a UNESCO Biosphere reserve.
A Call to Action
Events aren’t a luxury. They’re a lifeline for businesses, for communities, and for our collective identity. Every trivia night, every open mic, every market stall adds to the social fabric of the Coast.
That’s why SCEIA is urging Council to embed events into the Planning Scheme, not as an afterthought, but as a core ingredient of a thriving, liveable region. Because when events flourish, everyone benefits.
The Sunshine Coast has always been known for its natural beauty. Now it’s time to ensure we’re just as famous for our cultural vibrancy. Let’s build a future where our communities are not only places to live, but places to gather, to celebrate, and to connect.
Without events, the Sunshine Coast wouldn’t be the Sunshine Coast. Add your voice and help us keep the Coast vibrant and connected. Next time you attend an event on the coast, let our Council know how much you appreciated it.
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