Beach wellness gurus asked to pay up after anonymous complaints (2025)

Sarah-Rose Grauf suffered unimaginable grief when she lost her newborn daughter in 2023.

In the months that followed, the devastated mother and her family found strength in their community at Coolum, on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

Mrs Grauf said she and her friend recently began hosting free gatherings on the beach with breath work, yoga, meditation, and sound healing as a way of giving something back.

But after someone complained to Sunshine Coast Council, the group was told they would have to apply for a low-impact permit to use public land — at a cost of more than $3,000 per year.

"I felt like I was doing something great for the community," Mrs Grauf said.

"It's so beneficial for people to start their day off like this and that creates a ripple effect.

Mrs Grauf said she had a good working relationship with the council through her business ventures, but was preparing to fight the fee.

"We need this — mental health issues are going through the roof," she said.

"It's a social gathering ... it's no different to a group of friends or family, I've got eight kids in my family, coming down to the beach, doing a bit of yoga, going for a surf and feeling great."

Pay to stay

Mindfulness coach Cristián Trujillo said he had the same issue with the council after it acted on an anonymous complaint about his Sunrise Men's Gatherings at nearby Mudjimba Beach.

"Donations are voluntary, not everyone donates and that's OK," Mr Truijillo said.

"People are hungry to find places to connect authentically and that's what is missing in our community and society in general.

"We are gathering together without alcohol, without drugs, just to create awareness and improve mental health."

He suspended the gatherings after being told he would need a permit to continue.

Mr Trujillo calculated it would cost up to $3,500 a year.

Another group offering similar activities on the Sunshine Coast has been forced to charge members a fee to cover the permit costs.

A Sunshine Coast Council spokesperson said the council encouraged community groups to gather and connect for health and wellbeing.

"As part of the permit process, council ensures applicants have public liability insurance, a first aid certificate, relevant fitness industry qualifications, a scheduled booking … and a site map," the spokesperson said.

Not-for-profit organisations are exempt from permit fees, but Mr Trujillo and Mrs Grauf don't fall under that category because they are not running charities.

Sand space at a premium

The issue is not confined to the Sunshine Coast.

Melbourne yoga instructor Eliza Hilmer was last year shocked to learn she would have to pay $400 per weekly session — equating to more than $20,000 a year.

The Port Phillip Council told Ms Hilmer her free Feel Good Flows classes on St Kilda beach had become too popular, so she would need a small event permit each time.

"$400 was just not an option … it would wipe me out completely," Ms Hilmer said.

She ended up finding a local business to host the gatherings on their rooftop, but sympathised with the plight of the Sunshine Coast groups.

"If you're enriching the public land with an experience that's offered to the entire public, I don't understand why you would be paying anyone … because it's public land," Ms Hilmer said.

But she said she understood the need for "a little bit of governance".

"At the same time, you don't want 10 yoga teachers completely taking over the beach and all running a session," she said.

Duty of care

Iain Field, who is an Associate Professor at the University of Queensland's law school, said councils had an obligation to ensure activities carried out in public spaces posed no risk to residents.

"The law is clear that councils in control of areas of land, like beaches and parks, owe a general duty of care to people who enter that land," Dr Field said.

"If a council fails to take reasonable steps to manage a risk on its land then it could be liable if someone is injured as a result."

UQ law lecturer Kim Weinert said organisers needed to do their due diligence by finding out what was required before hosting such events.

"Local groups can come together in an ad-hoc manner," Ms Weinert said.

"But when there is a pattern of structure and organisation … it's very easy for the general public to look upon that group in those spaces regularly and say, 'Well, this is an organised group, they need a permit to use this space'."

Sunshine Coast Council said it had provided event organisers with permit process information and would assist with their applications.

Mr Trujillo said he was willing to work with the council, but it was not about the money.

"I think that the conversation here is about how can we find ways to make this more easy and accessible for the community," he said.