City of Gold Coast hides new Beach Bar proposals from residents

Beach Bars, now known as “Food Zones”, were secretly planned for areas on the Gold Coast sands at Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach. IA Founder David Donovan investigates.

Latest meeting agenda for the City of Gold Coast (COGC) Council officials are secretly working on new Beach Bar proposals for Gold Coast beaches, the Planning and Regulatory Committee reveals. Beach Bars, now known as “Food Zones”, have been secretly planned for the sandy areas in front of the Surfers Paradise Surf Life Saving Club (SPSLC) and Kurrawa Surf Life Saving Club (KSLSC).

The original 3-month 2022 Beach Bar Trial at Kurrawa, operated by a Melbourne-based company (owned by Australian Venue Co – a major US investment fund) was a dismal failure. The COGC reported that approximately 44,000 people attended the venue but due to typical Gold Coast summer storm conditions the venue only operated partially on 47 days (out of a possible 76 trades).

Add to this the loss of public amenity to the local community and the fact that ratepayers were footing the bill for the trial (COGC did not charge Australian Venue Co’s rent for the site or any waste, water or infrastructure charges) meant there was zero return on investment for the local community.

As a result the then Queensland Resources Minister Scott StewartRecognition of the community’s opposition through a presentation by Surfrider AustraliaHe instructed the COGC: “Owners’ Consent“No further plans for the Beach Bar at Kurrawa will be provided by the Government. If the COGC wants to proceed with their plans, they will need to consult the local community through an area Master Plan and apply for a Material Change of Use (MCU) for the site. The COGC has decided to proceed with its plans in late 2022.”

However, there is no record of any Master Plan or Community Engagement program made public by the COGC, nor is there any record of an MCU registered with the government.

Minister Stewart has publicly stated that the local community has sent him clear signals about the issues surrounding the Kurrawa Beach Bar Incident, which has helped Resources make decisions regarding the use of State Government land in the area, saying:

“The Surrider Foundation’s consistent public advocacy over many years has allowed the local community on the Gold Coast to clearly express its preference that the beaches remain a public asset.”

Member of Surfers Paradise, John-Paul Langbroekthere is today requested Gold Coast City Council has cleared its Surfers Paradise beach plaza and reopened the Esplanade, where the new “Food Precinct” is located, to traffic.

Langbroek, who was clearly left in the dark about COGC Beach Bar’s plans, cited a lack of emergency access and community opposition as reasons for reopening The Esplanade.

Langbroek said:

“I have been waiting to hear Council’s plan for The Esplanade and I urge them to reopen it.”

Community Alliance Association President John Hicks said his organization opposes the commercialization and privatization of beaches. “These are public assets owned by everyone in society, not by the municipality.”.

Hicks said the council’s own community engagement on the Broadbeach waterfront plan and the earlier Kurrawa Beach Club option confirmed that most people in the community shared that view, and his organization would urge the COGC to be honest with Gold Coast residents.

The next meeting of the City of Gold Coast (COGC) Planning and Regulatory Committee will take place on Tuesday 21 April 2026.