The shire’s pinnacle food, wine and music festival is held every Fathers’ Day and given the success and multiple accolades, was expected to continue to pull locals and visitors to the region for many years to come. Indeed, with the Pacific Highway Bypass due for completion in 2016, Toast Urunga organisers felt it put the seaboard town firmly on the ‘must visit’ map.

However, Toast Urunga’s costs have escalated considerably and organisers said they are struggling to meet, and pay for, the barrage of government red tape.

“Toast Urunga is widely acknowledged as being one of the pre-eminent events run on the Coffs Coast and one of the most professional in terms of its organisation attracting more than 8000 attendees, a quarter of whom visit from outside the Coffs Coast and Nambucca region,” Toast Urunga organiser Jan Baker said.

“However, this year the organising committee has had to deal with a considerable increase in Local and State Government requirements to run the event – all of which costs money to comply with.

“Without listing the myriad of requirements … the Local Government DA approved in 2010 had 15 numbered conditions, but the recently approved DA in 2015 had 32 numbered conditions.

“These 32 conditions were in addition to the 33 requisites relating to the running of the event submitted with the DA request, together with 25 separate documents.

“These were all required for an annual six hour event.

“In addition, the Trade Fair Licence also had many more additional requirements and was only approved three working days before the event was held.”

Ms Baker said Toast Urunga’s costs have blown out to $90,000 an the event now breaks even – when there’s no rain. The committee has never received funds from State Government and tough council has contributed $2000 over the past nine years; more than $1100 has been paid back in DA approvals. In addition, the community organisation has contributed more than $9000 to local groups and $7500 towards power upgrades in the host park.

Though she does concede safety must be a priority, Ms Baker is adamant the onus of responsibly needs to be shared if the community is to continue hosting these events.

“Obviously holding an event attracting many people needs to be appropriately managed and controlled,” she said.

“Yet unfortunately, if the current level of government requirements remain – and there’s a high likelihood that these will only increase rather than decrease – the Toast Urunga committee and Urunga-Mylestom Chamber of Commerce cannot continue to underwrite the costs of running the event, nor the huge risk of being found to not comply with one of the many conditions imposed on the event.”

While looking at other options for hosting a community event on Fathers’ Day, Ms Baker said in its current format, and with “deep regret”, Toast Urunga is defunct and she paid tribute to everyone involved.

“The Urunga-Mylestom Chamber of Commerce expresses its deep appreciation to all the wonderfully generous sponsors of the event that have donated either their services or made cash donations to pay the bills,” she said.

“Thanks to all the participating exhibitors and entertainers who gave the event its spark and character, which the community have loved.

“And of course, we would like to thank all the incredibly talented volunteers – all 180 of them – who have helped out before, during and after to make sure everything works and everything is done. You are a special team and we all feel very privileged to be a part of your community.”

WHAT ARE THE SOLUTIONS?

Toast Urunga organisers, while reluctant to point the finger at council, have voiced a number of concerns and offered a number of different suggestions to make it easier for community groups. These include: 

- Councils to provide sample documents showing what has to be completed and what the all-up costs are likely to be for a small (fewer than 5000 people) event and a larger (more than 5000 people) event;

- Adopt Port Macquarie Council’s approach: pre-approve a DA for each key event area, list the requirements event organisers need to adhere to, and produce a comprehensive pack to be completed;

- Council employee to take on the organisation of events once they reach 5000 people or more (as done by Wingecarribee Council) or outsource to a professional event organiser, who is compensated through surplus (as done by Port Macquarie Council with Tastings of the Hastings).