By JOLENE OGLE
HASTINGS Street was a sea of rainbow colours last Thursday when the Noosa Love Parade hit the road, spreading a message of love, tolerance and acceptance.
Led by local architect Robin Bristow, more than 40 people made their way from Noosa Woods to Noosa Main Beach chanting for equality.
The Noosa Love Parade was designed to coincide with Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s visit to Noosa, where he had lunch with Deputy Prime Minister and Member for Wide Bay, Warren Truss, and was a direct reaction to Noosa Council’s refusal to join a motion in support of same-sex marriage.
Event organiser Robin Bristow said the parade was a way of welcoming Mr Abbott and Mr Truss to Noosa.
“When Tony Abbott and Warren Truss announced they were having lunch in Noosa, we decided to welcome them with a love parade,” he said.
“Our protest march, in support of marriage equality, ended right outside the restaurant in which they were dining. It certainly made a point.
“It was a great success with a large cross spectrum of our rainbow community turning up, including lots of excited children.”
Mr Bristow said Noosa Council is also “in their sights” with the Noosa Love Parade the start of a campaign to “convince them to show support for every part of the Noosa community”.
Mr Bristow said he didn’t get to meet Mr Abbott, but hopes he heard their message “that history is going to change soon”.
On the same day, but at the other end of Hastings Street, another, unplanned, protest was taking place with Indigenous rights supporters taking to the streets in protest of genocide and land rights.
The protest began outside a Hastings Street restaurant before local police moved the march up Hastings Street and into Noosa Woods.
The two protesting groups met up in the Woods in a scene many described as emotional.
Local personal trainer and gay rights activist Kate Fitzpatrick said she was “covered in goosebumps” when the two groups came together.
“To be honest, this was my first march and as I saw police gather and heard a chanting crew in the distance, I became a little panicked,” she said.
“Our group listened to our speakers … as the chanting from down the street became louder and louder and closer … from behind the trees came a massive group of Indigenous people, their flags held high with pride as they smiled and waved.
“I was covered in goosebumps as the Aboriginal flag entwined with our rainbow flags and we became one. This was the most amazing experience. As ‘others’ we joined and together we were one.”
