By BENNY PIKE
I SPENT last weekend in the second best place in Australia on the Surf Coast on Victoria. My Grade 8 girlfriend from Maroochy high school was celebrating her 60th in a small restaurant in Aireys Inlet. I am sure most of us have a similar story, but it was terrific to catch up and still be friends for 47 years. I spent most of my time in Victoria’s holiday capital Lorne, and thoroughly enjoyed the driving along the Great Ocean road. Lorne’s cafes, beach access, quaint village atmosphere reminded me of Noosa in the early 80s. Oh and yes the cafe latte set were there as well, all looking a million dollars all hours of the day. I started to think how this area from Torquay, Anglesea, Aireys Inlet, Fairhaven and Lorne successfully work as one under the banner of Surf Coast. Tourism certainly leads the way, retail, but not that much else. There’s not too much development and certainly there were no cranes and I didn’t see many homes/units being built. And other than the main road, most roads were dirt stoney with the exception of a couple that had just been tarred. And of course most homes were built within the leafy treescape, that raised my concerns remembering back to the tragic Ash Wednesday 1983 when the entire area was levelled. Other then a few shops in the main town areas, I wondered where everyone worked, went to school, or basically got a start in life.
It’s a little like the push by the EDV Group which wants to do everything under the Noosa Council. Like most Surf Coast residents travelling to work in Geelong to meet the needs of living, Noosa residents travel daily south for work, school, uni, airport, medical, shopping, play sport, just to name a few.
It seems the EDV push is starting to show cracks as the recent confrontation with rival Coast Alliance group outside Noosa Council Headquarters. Alliance Chiefs clearly suggest that “the EVV Group has no authority to speak for the general population of either the Sunshine Coast or the districts EDV’’, stating they are only a small organisation with a specific interest and is not supported by the broader Sunshine Coast Community.
So basically, just like Surf Coast, the travelling daily out of Noosa for many reasons, clearly shows an imbalance that needs to be acknowledged. Most of the flash homes in Lorne, with the best views are all owned by people in Melbourne who drop in every now and then. While I am on the subject of people, especially people who give their time freely in a volunteer capacity, I am sure most of you know plenty like 2013 Volunteer of the Year Cooroys Sue Stanley. Well it’s that time again to nominate someone you think deserves a pat on the back. Nomination forms can be found on the Sunshine Coast Sports Federation website. Or you can call Graeme Murphy 0423 454 830. The winner is to be announced at the Sport Star of the Year in January 2015. Until next time
