Kawana-based sporting clubs are still reeling in the aftermath of a sold-out music festival that left their once-grassy fields a muddy mess.
The Western Fields – part of the Kawana Sports Precinct – are home to Kawana Football Club and Sunshine Coast Fire FC, as well as the Kawana Touch Association.
Kawana men’s and mixed competition games do not appear to have gone ahead in touch earlier this week.
The two football clubs both have matches scheduled at the fields tomorrow (Friday) night and across the weekend. Members feared the fields had not recovered enough and would necessitate a change in venue for those home games.
But late today (Thursday), a council spokesperson said council ground staff had carried out further inspections of the Kawana Sports fields and had determined that they were playable for all of this weekend’s scheduled fixtures.
The well-established Groovin the Moo announced in January that it would be held on the Sunshine Coast for the first time.
Tickets went on sale on February 7 at noon and by February 12, organisers reported a sell-out, with about 25,000 tickets sold for the local event.
It was the first time a major music event had been held on the Western Fields.
A Sunshine Coast Council spokesperson said earlier today (Thursday) that Kawana FC had been provided with alternative training venues for Wednesday night and tonight.
“Council’s ground staff worked on the Kawana Sports Precinct fields Wednesday after a very successful event held at the weekend,” the spokesperson said.
“Field access for this weekend’s scheduled sporting fixtures is looking promising.
“A final decision on whether the fields will be available for play this weekend will be made this afternoon (Thursday) after an inspection is undertaken.”
The Kawana FC committee released a media statement late Wednesday night following the “outpouring of support in relation to the current state of our home grounds”.
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The committee said that the unlike most other community (sporting) groups in the region that leased their fields from Sunshine Coast Council, ‘hirers’ such as the football club did not have exclusivity over the facilities.
“With three major ‘hirers’, the fields and clubhouse facilities are used seven days per week during the respective playing seasons and pre-seasons, and provide a recreational space for around 1000 users,” the committee said.
“We are disappointed with being moved out of the facility and grounds for the 11 days of the festival event period and the disruption it caused for teams, players and parents who had travel for away games.
“We recognise and support cultural events and the vital role such events play in the social fabric of the Sunshine Coast.
“However, while the entire region is stretched to keep kids and adults in sport because of the limited provision of sporting infrastructure available, and while all three ‘hirers’ are at maximum capacity because of the access limitations brought about by having three sharing clubs operating from the site, we are extremely disappointed at the decision to host a cultural music event at a sporting facility in the middle of the sporting season.
“We will continue to work with Sunshine Coast Council to seek playing areas for our great game, this great club, and the overall future of community sport.”
Kawana FC committee members have been in contact with Sunshine Coast Council’s Stadium Management Team, custodian of the fields, and were advised to expect a plan of action from the council today (Thursday), outlining the way forward for the continuation of seasons.
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One festival-goer, who wished to remain anonymous, said she was concerned from the moment she walked in about what effect the large crowd would have on the grounds.
“The grounds within the designated drinking area of the festival were particularly muddy with some sections deep enough to submerge your shoes when walking through it,” the Noosa Shire resident said.
“Given the recent rain and heavy foot traffic, it was inevitable to become muddy with the amount of people traversing through the area.
“While I was there, I did think it would be an awful mess after the event, but there was nothing we could really do to prevent it from getting muddy in those high-traffic areas.
“I do remember the area around the stage being dry, as there was makeshift flooring close to the front, and the grass nearby was not sloshy like in the bar area.”
Sunshine Coast News reached out to Groovin the Moo festival organisers but did not receive a reply by deadline.
The final festival in the 2023 series is heading to Hay Park in Bunbury, south of Perth in Western Australia, this Saturday (May 6).
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