Arabic version: قطاع حفلات الزفاف في نوسا يحث المجلس على خفض رسوم التصاريح

According to ABC News, wedding industry members and couples are urging Noosa Council to reduce permit charges, arguing that the cost of ceremonies is deterring visitors and hurting local businesses.

Noosa Council charges $799 for a non-refundable three-hour permit on the Noosa Main Beach foreshore, up from $159 in 2014. Permits at other council-managed locations cost $399. Wedding photographer Lindy Yewen said couples had dubbed the charge the “Noosa tax”, citing already high accommodation and dining costs.

Jodie O’Dea and Daryl Pilmore paid for a Main Beach foreshore permit for their April wedding, but heavy rain left the site waterlogged. Unable to cancel the booking, they held the ceremony at their reception venue for an additional $3,000 and did not receive a refund for the permit.

The Noosa Wedding Organisation said ceremonies in the region fell from 781 in 2014 to 563 in 2025. It estimated the decline represented a $30 million annual loss in visitor spending, based on average guest spending of at least $2,600 during a three-day stay. Celebrant Jacqueline Gray said Sunshine Coast Council charged an $83 flat fee for weddings.

Noosa Council property manager Hayley Jamieson said the fees covered administration, compliance and management and presentation of council-managed beaches, parks and foreshores. She said the higher Main Beach charge reflected the “premium nature” of those locations and their greater management requirements. The council reviews fees annually and said severe-weather requests to change times or locations were considered case by case.