Community & Business
14 January, 2026
Show me the precincts: Johnston
Submission for music precincts
Local music organiser Kelvin Johnston continues his crusade to establish music precincts in the Southern Downs.
Mr Johnston made a submission to council over the draft planning scheme on the issue and received a personalised response from CEO Rachel Brophy.
Her response prompted Mr Johnston to question “whether [the] SDRC is fair dinkum or not about vision and growth in the region”.
Ms Brophy thanked him for his submission and for his “active role in attending the various consultation sessions and speaking with our team” noting that “it is clear that you are very passionate about the creative sector.”
Ms Brophy noted Kelvin’s request to see places like Victoria Park, Weeroona Park and the Piazza and Stanthorpe “better activated” for live performances.
“As you have rightly acknowledged, a number of these spaces are reserves and under the trusteeship of the council. When parks and other spaces are held in reserve, there is often a management plan that explores the purpose of the reserve and ensures that activities and uses are consistent with that reserve purpose”.
Currently, the CEO said, council is using Temporary Entertainment Event Permits “in accordance with our local laws” which means that there are requirements for insurance, noise management and other items “not dissimilar to a mobile food van”.
Mr Johnston told the Town & Country Journal that “it is dumb to think that an extra $1600 fee is in any way good” and indicated that the financial burden will limit “visionary groups”.
This is not the response Mr Johnston was hoping for even though Ms Brophy acknowledged that his submission “raised some valid points”.
“Council is not the sole arbiter of culture; we the community are,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, Mr Johnston, says he’s seen “no evidence to date” that council is planning special entertainment precincts and that he is seeking state government intervention. He’s asking the public to contact Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie who holds the portfolio for Planning.
