A grassroots community exchange is gaining momentum on the Sunshine Coast.
What began as a small social gathering during the COVID era has evolved into a thriving weekly meet-up in Pomona, where locals swap, sell and share everything from fresh produce to handmade goods and practical skills – now widely known as the Noosa Barter Tribe.
Founder and organiser Nick Cooke said the idea grew organically from a group of like-minded residents looking to connect.
“We started as an informal community group during COVID as a social group,” Mr Cooke, who set up the gathering with his partner Hayley Hass, said.
“We met every Sunday and we naturally sort of started trading amongst ourselves, and then we decided to turn it into a proper trading and bartering group.”
Now in its fourth year – and with an online community of about 3000 members – the Noosa Barter Tribe has outgrown its original home at Stan Topper Park and moved to the Lawson Shed at the Pomona Community House.
Mr Cooke said the concept remained deliberately simple and accessible.
“It’s really informal and really relaxed – you just turn up. You don’t have to register, there’s no stall fees,” he said.
“There’s no pressure to bring a certain amount of stuff. You can bring a box full of produce or just one cucumber.”
While bartering was the original focus, the model has adapted to better include everyone.
“We found that a lot of people didn’t have anything to trade and felt left out,” Mr Cooke said.
“So we allowed the option for people to sell or swap, or do part cash and part trade – we just leave it up to individuals to work it out.”
Tables regularly feature an eclectic mix of goods, including homegrown fruit and vegetables, sourdough bread, baked treats, excess backyard harvests and pantry items. But Mr Cooke is quick to point out it goes well beyond produce.
“It’s not just fruit and veg – people bring anything,” he said.
“We’ve had kitchenware, handmade items, and all sorts of things that might otherwise go to waste.”
The group has also expanded into skill-sharing, with workshops ranging from bread-making and preserving to weaving and even wildlife-related craft sessions.
“We try to bring in people with unique skills,” Mr Cooke said.
“They might run a small workshop where participants contribute to a ‘barter box’ instead of paying, and everyone gets to learn something new.”
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He said the initiative was playing an increasing role as households navigate rising living costs.
“You see things in the supermarkets that are really expensive – like lemons for nearly $17 a kilo – and then someone comes in here selling them for 50 cents or just giving them away,” Mr Cooke said.
“We had someone bring in a big box of dragon fruit, which can be $30 or $40 a kilo, and they were just handing it out.”
But he believes the biggest benefit is social rather than financial.
“I’d say the key takeaway is community connection and development,” Mr Cooke said.
“We have people who come along who don’t have anything, and they’re still welcome – it’s about that regular weekly social interaction.”
Acts of quiet generosity are common, with some attendees leaving items specifically for those in need.
“All the time – people will say, ‘can you give this to someone who might need it?’,” he said.
Despite its growth and popularity, Mr Cooke said there were no plans to commercialise the initiative.
“It’s purely for community benefit,” he said.
“We’ve got no intention of making it into a money-making exercise.”
Instead, the focus remains on strengthening local ties – something Mr Cooke said people are increasingly craving.
“I think people really want that sense of connection,” he said.
“With how busy life is and how individual things can feel, this gives people a chance to come together.”
The concept has proven so successful that similar groups have sprung up in other Sunshine Coast hinterland communities, inspired by the Noosa Barter Tribe model.
While Mr Cooke admits he didn’t expect it to grow so quickly, he believes its future is secure.
“I didn’t really know what we were in for,” he said.
“But to see what it’s become it’s pretty special.”
Noosa Barter Tribe operates 11am to 12.30pm Sundays at the Lawson Shed, Pomona Community House.
