Friday, 24 November, 2023
Number
ONE of 420 Coast Agencies 12650608-HC47-23
Tallulah swims free
Kellie tops Liptember
Long lunch for Dolphins
24-page liftout Property Guide
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INSIDE
PR OP ER TY
School’s out forever Sunshine Beach State High School Year 12 students hit the beach last week to celebrate the end of school. About 260 senior students took the traditional dip in the ocean before heading home to glam up for their graduation ceremony. Year 12 students across the shire finished school last week before heading to well-earned celebrations including schoolies on the Gold Coast and overseas holidays. Continued page 4
School ends with a splash at Noosa Main Beach. Picture: ROB MACCOLL
End for espresso By Margie Maccoll “An opportunity wildly missed“ is how Cr Tom Wegener described Noosa Council’s refusal of an application by Cooroy resident Rob Noy to continue to operate a food and drink outlet at his Bus Stop Espresso from his property at 201 Mary River Road. Mr Noy submitted an application to council to retrospectively approve his Bus Stop Espresso that serves his own and locally sourced food and beverages from a 1948 Victorian omnibus on his rural property about 2km from Cooroy. About 18 months ago Noosa councillors
were unanimous in backing the continued operation of the roadside stall which had grown into a food and drink outlet providing a safe sanctuary during Covid, enabling the operator time to apply for the appropriate permit to continue serving coffee at its onsite dining area. At the time, the application sparked discussion on the value of small scale rural businesses to the community and tourism as well as the limitations in the planning scheme to enable a path of growth for small scale rural produce and creative industries that do not adversely
impact the region. At last Thursday’s Ordinary meeting all councillors, apart from Cr Wegener, voted to side with staff recommendations to refuse the application for a food and drink outlet but allow a street stall to operate. Cr Wegener said the rules regarding food stalls were quite confusing. You can sell things you grow but what if you grow coffee, could you sell it, could you taste it, could you sit down and enjoy it? “These questions are still out there. In 18 months we haven’t learnt anything,“ he said.
The stall sells honey and eggs, produced on Mr Noy’s property, fruit, vegetables and herbs grown on his and nearby properties, coffee processed and produced by Cooroy Coffee Roasters and had aims to expand its range, stall structure and dining opportunities. Councillors spoke about the popularity of Bus Stop Espresso but council officers said they had received complaints over its operation relating to traffic, road safety and amenity, and the food and drink outlet was not consistent with the Noosa Plan. Continued page 5
Award winning Vegan sandals, sneakers, and slides for adults and children. Shop online or visit the Noosa boutique. 12651531-HC47-23
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