Sunshine Coast Council closes holiday parks, play areas and ocean pools

Sunshine Coast Council has today announced that all its skate parks and all play equipment in the parks it manages is closed until further notice and that its six holiday parks are closed to visitors.

In light of the most recent restrictions to limit opportunities for people to congregate and, in the interests of the health and safety of our community, signage is being rolled-out in the Council's parks over the next few days to alert the community to these closures. 

Advising that the closures were in-line with the national public health directions and the recommendations of Play Australia, Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson stated "these closures will help to continue our efforts to reduce the opportunities for people to come together in groups, to limit the transmission of COVID-19.

“Council manages more than 350 playgrounds and 28 skate parks and I urge the community to please comply with these important new measures. 

“I do want to emphasise that council parks remain open to the community, but playground equipment within those parks will not be able to be used.

“With regards to weddings, funerals or memorial services in public spaces, council is also continuing to work with the community on how such events are conducted with the new restrictions in place.

“Council is in the process of contacting current permit holders to alter, postpone or cancel any existing permits.” 

Moving forward, in-line with the Australian Government direction, weddings can involve no more than five people and the one person per four square metre rule applies. 

Funerals or memorial services can involve no more than 10 people and the one person per four square metre rule applies.

In addition to the closure of council’s aquatic centres, announced earlier this week,, the following community pools are now closed: 

• Kings Beach Ocean Pool 
• Conondale Pool
• Kenilworth Pool
• Maleny Pool
• Mooloolah and District Swimming Pool 

The Council's closures of its six holiday parks, located at Dicky Beach, Mooloolaba Beach, Maroochydore Beach, Cotton Tree, Mudjimba Beach and Coolum Beach, will apply to anyone not deemed 'essential travellers'.

Applying until 31st May 2020, only guests who are travelling for essential, compassionate, or in-transit purposes may still be permitted to stay. 

Those deemed to be on holiday or non-essential travellers were today being asked to return home. 

Permanent residents at the parks are also able to stay in their place of residence.

The decision to close the Holiday Parks to non-essential travellers is in line with the advice of State and Federal authorities in relation to the implementation of restrictions to contain the transmission of COVID-19. 

Essential travellers include people:

• Travelling from within Australia and have nowhere to go - those with no fixed address.
• Travelling from within Australia and have a fixed address but cannot return home.
• Travelling from within Australia - and need to be on the Sunshine Coast for medical or family reasons.
• Those who need to temporarily work on the Sunshine Coast 

Mooloolaba Beach Holiday Park, which has no essential travellers, will close in the coming days, while the Council's holiday parks online booking system is also closed.

Additional cleaning has been implemented at shared amenities for holiday parks where essential travellers or permanent residents are staying. 

Images: Play areas closed on the Sunshine Coast (top) and Mooloolaba Beach Holiday Park (below).