Fresh off hosting a popular music festival, a major Sunshine Coast entertainment and dining precinct has announced it will close, revealing business losses of almost $1 million.
Groovin’ on the Green was held at The Station on December 28, with organisers Milked Social previously announcing the event was 90 per cent sold out as of December 10.
On December 30, The Station’s operators, husband-and-wife team Chris and Lauren Hignett, confirmed the upcoming closure.
“We’re going to share some really sad news. Unfortunately, Lauren and I have had to make the decision to close The Station,” the pair said.
The Station, located at Birtinya, features a live music venue, skatepark, retail shops, food truck precinct and bar area.
Mr Hignett said the venue would officially close on January 3, with a final headline performance scheduled for January 2.
“Our last gig will be Pete Murray here at The Station. What a great way to finish with a legend, Pete, coming back on January 2. There’s lots of tickets available so come on down, buy tickets, support us, say goodbye,” he said.
He said ticket holders for upcoming shows would receive further information shortly.
“We’ll be updating everybody on their tickets for other gigs in the next 48 hours. Most of them have been rebooked locally, which is fantastic, so lots of local venues getting supported by this.”
Ongoing challenges in the live music industry had made it difficult for the venue to continue operating, Mr Hignett said.
“There is simply a lack of domestic touring talent at the size needed to fill our room on regular consistency, and the appetite for many internationals is just not there for anything outside of Sydney and Melbourne,” he said.
Want more free local news? Follow Sunshine Coast News on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram, and sign up for our FREE daily news email.
Ms Hignett thanked the community for its support.
“Since opening in March last year, we have welcomed close to 80,000 customers through the venue,” she said.
“Many of those visitors brought their children to their very first live concert. In fact, that’s one of our most valued memories: kids and their parents sharing amazing experiences of live music.”
Mr Hignett said, “It’s been really hard at times but our bar staff, chefs, ticketing teams, security teams, grounds team and sound partners have been incredible, and the venue has always had amazing feedback from performers and our customers.”
Stage one of The Station — formerly known as NightQuarter — opened in March 2024 following significant upgrades by the site’s new owners.
The Hignetts, who also ran the now-closed Alley-Oops Skatepark Birtinya, secured a five-year lease on the 6400sqm site in December 2023.
The precinct, fitted out with shipping containers for food vendors, bar service and retail outlets, had sat vacant since the closure of NightQuarter in 2022.
NightQuarter had previously operated at Birtinya after relocating from Helensvale on the Gold Coast, where it ran from 2015 to 2019.
It officially opened on the Sunshine Coast on November 6, 2020, positioning itself as a family-friendly marketplace with street food, market stalls and live entertainment.
However, a series of compounding issues, including the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, led to financial difficulties.
Food Focus Australia Pty Ltd — the company behind NightQuarter and the neighbouring Malt Shovel Taphouse — later entered liquidation.
In January 2024, Mr Hignett said he and his wife had been encouraged by feedback from local businesses keen to see the entertainment precinct operating again.
“Local residents and tourists also have a strong affinity with the precinct. So many people have told us about their great memories of the former venue,” Mr Hignett said prior to opening.
