Business events and latest news for the Sunshine Coast region
Cruise ship season full steam ahead and destined to shore up local businesses
The anticipated arrival of nine cruise ships docking on Mooloolaba’s shores this season, injecting an estimated $2 million into the local economy.
After more than two years in hiatus, the first cruise liner, Oceania Regatta with up to 675 passengers onboard, is scheduled to drop anchor off Mooloolaba on December 15. The Christmas cruise will sail from Sydney with stops in Queensland and the Northern Territory arriving in Benoa, Bali, Indonesia for Christmas Day.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Wharf Mooloolaba had a disembarkation rate of more than 80 per cent of passengers who booked local tours or enjoyed The Wharf’s iconic surroundings including dining and shopping experiences. Read more
Will you be one of the 1000 small businesses to benefit?
The latest round of the Queensland Government’s popular Business Basics grants ROIs closes Monday, so make sure you act now and get your ROI in TODAY!
$5 million is available to support business owners right across Queensland to develop their skills and adopt best practice.
Extended to 10 March 2023: Extraordinary Disaster Assistance Recovery Grants
South East Queensland primary producers, businesses and non-profit organisations impacted by rainfall and flooding between February and April 2022 have more time to apply with the application deadline extended to 10 March 2023. Grants of up to $75,000 are available for primary producers, and $50,000 for small businesses and not-for-profit organisations. For eligibility criteria and information on how to apply, visit www.qrida.qld.gov.au.
Calling all screen creatives, cast and crew: Are you the Sunshine Coast’s next film or TV star?
The Sunny Coast Showdown will return with a mission to turn the Sunshine Coast into Sunnywood and to launch the next stars of the big and small screens.
The screen incubator and festival is the brainchild of Powderfinger’s Jon Coghill and former USA Survivor producer Dan Munday who, together with the Sunshine Coast Screen Collective, are looking to boost the local film and TV industry.
The 2023 event may be bigger and better but the idea is still the same - to give local screenwriters, filmmakers, cast and crew an opportunity to produce and deliver great projects and showcase them at a community festival event.
The Sunny Coast Showdown is a not-for-profit screen talent and idea incubator where successful applicants receive funding, support and mentoring to develop and produce their projects.
Submissions open for Showdown 2023 on January 23 and feature six categories:
2 x scripted short films
1 x local indigenous project
1 x Powderfinger music video
2 x unscripted projects
Missed the Sunshine Coast Screen Summit held in October?
Check out the full recording of the conference.
Business Sustainability Workshop series (Feb/Mar)
Registrations are open for the Business Sustainability Workshop series that will provide businesses with a Sustainability Action Plan framework to cut costs and reduce impacts to the environment.
This practical workshop series will address energy, water and waste usage in business and help set short to long-term goals.
Brisbane 2032 will create a 20-year pipeline of opportunities and be a catalyst for Queensland businesses to create valuable new partnerships and supply chains.
TheBuy Queensland approach will underpin the procurement strategy for Brisbane 2032. This will ensure as many Queensland businesses as possible are part of the significant supply chain associated with the Games. Now is the time to get supply-ready
Hosting the world’s single largest event will provide significant opportunities that require lead-in time for businesses to prepare. Now is the time for all Queensland businesses to:
Gain experience tendering and supplying to government
Build business capability for supplying to government
Understand the business requirements for supplying to government. More info
The Mooloolaba Foreshore Festival on Nov 5 was a huge success with people pouring out in huge numbers to enjoy this beachside location. There were rides, live music, markets and of course, mermaids. The Beach 5s Rugby tournament also offered some serious sports action to watch! It was a great event to test out the new parkland, so that we can see how events can use this space. If you are interested in using this space for a function or event, our Holding Events page with permit information.
Increasing and beautifying beachfront parkland along this iconic strip is expected to lure thousands of additional visitors to the area, providing an estimated $5.5 million worth of extra expenditure in local businesses each year. The feedback on the $16 million Stage One Northern Parkland has been really positive and as plans progress for further upgrades along this beach front, it is really important that we continually support local businesses.
This Mooloolaba Foreshore Revitalisation Project - Stage 1 Northern Parklands was developed with the support of the Queensland Government’s Unite and Recover Community Stimulus Package in association with Sunshine Coast Council. Project information
Curating the menu for 2023 and cooking up a storm for Xmas '22
Planning is now underway for next year’s The Curated Plate culinary festival on the Sunshine Coast, with event dates confirmed for July 28-August 6, 2023.
Our home-grown festival is a delicious 10-day celebration of the region’s local produce, producers and chefs, and unique natural assets from the sea to the hinterland.
To get a jump start on next year’s event, potential Industry Partners attended an information session on November 14, to learn about the festival, the benefits for industry and the community and to understand the opportunities available to link into the food tourism market.
If you would like to present a bespoke and memorable food experience, please email our event coordinator Zoe at thecuratedplate@sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au to discuss your idea or subscribe to find out when EOIs are ready to open in January with further IP workshops planned for February.
NEW PODCAST ALERT: In Pursuit of Hoppiness
If the walls of the 21 breweries of the Sunshine Coast could talk, you’d hear stories about experimental home brews, burning ambition and above all, good beer.
These stories have come to life, with the launch of the ‘In Pursuit of Hoppiness’ podcast.
Speaking with 16 independent craft brewers from Australia’s Craft Beer Capital – the Sunshine Coast – the series celebrates the people behind the pint.
The podcast was produced by Visit Sunshine Coast in partnership with Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) and is hosted by none other than legendary news anchor, Paul Taylor.
In Pursuit of Hoppiness is available to stream through most podcast apps including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and launching the series is one of Australia’s most awarded breweries – Moffat Beach Brewing Co.
