Work will begin this week on a major upgrade to the Maleny Lane stage, with organisers confident the improvements will help bring live music and community events back to the popular precinct.
The project is a collaboration between Maleny Lane and the Maleny Arts Co-op. Steve McLeish, chairman of the co-op, and Sue Palmer, from Maleny Lane, have been coordinating plans to install a purpose-built acoustic muffling roof — a curved “sound shell” — over the existing performance area.
Mr McLeish said the works were designed in direct response to a noise complaint that halted regular performances earlier this year, affecting musicians, small businesses and the growing arts scene in the heart of town.
To move forward, Maleny Lane lodged a material change of use application with Sunshine Coast Council to formalise the stage as a venue for live music and community performance. The application was approved, with one of the key conditions allowing the co-op to construct the acoustic roof designed to contain and direct sound more responsibly.
“This is the turning point we’ve been waiting for,” Mr McLeish said.
“The stage has been here for years and has supported everything from buskers to community events, but we hit a roadblock when a complaint forced us to pause all activity. Rather than giving up, we went through the proper planning process and designed a solution that helps everyone.”
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He said the new sound shell would significantly reduce sound spill, direct audio towards audiences and allow Maleny Lane to host live performances at safe and compliant levels.
“Maleny has always been a creative town — people want to come together, listen to music and support local artists. These upgrades mean we can get back to doing that, without affecting neighbours,” he said.
The stage area, tucked behind Maple Street, has previously been used for markets, acoustic sessions, community gatherings, small festivals and local food-lane events. Mr McLeish said seeing it fall silent had been “disheartening” for regular musicians and stallholders.
“Now we can bring that energy back. This isn’t just a construction project — it’s about reinstating a cultural space that people love,” he said.
The Maleny Arts Co-op will oversee the works — much of it donated by members of the community — with construction and installation set to begin this week and continue until the year’s end.
Once complete, the upgraded stage, complete with its new sound-mitigation shell, will again be available for live music, storytelling, youth performances, cultural events and collaborative community activities.
Mr McLeish said he hoped the upgrade would “set the standard” for how small towns can balance vibrancy with responsible noise management.
“We’ve done this properly, and we’re proud of that. It means Maleny Lane can continue to be a welcoming, creative hub for years to come,” he said.
