Residents who live a 15 minute drive from Sunshine Coast Stadium at Bokarina have received notices in their letterboxes about the return of Groovin the Moo sparking concerns over noise levels and traffic congestion.

The hugely popular live music festival, scheduled for May 5, made its debut on the Coast last year featuring Fatboy Slim, Amy Shark, Ball Park Music, The Chats and Ocean Alley.

After logistical and financial pressures shifted the Queensland leg of the festival from Townsville to the Coast, it was held at Kawana Sports Western Precinct, drawing a 25,000-strong crowd and selling out in days.

While most in the music industry are thrilled that the Coast’s live music scene seems to be burgeoning again post-pandemic, with Big Pineapple Festival and The Station (formerly Nightquarter) returning this year, some say the region’s infrastructure still isn’t equipped for events of this magnitude.

Minyama resident John, who lives more than five kilometres from the precinct, received the notice from organisers on Tuesday morning, advising that the festival was likely to attract 35,000 people, and a “significant increase in vehicle and pedestrian traffic”.

The letter said “an appointed noise management company” would monitor amplified noise.

John said while he was pleased to get the early heads up, he was worried about the noise levels given his home is “two suburbs away” from the precinct.

“Especially as I’m being letter dropped in Minyama and the event is at Bokarina. I feel sorry for the Bokarina, and closer, residents,” he said.

“I’m also surprised at the length of time for the festival, going all day and up to 10pm at night. That seems excessive for a suburban location.

“The crowd numbers are large for a suburban area. We will need tight control to manage this number of people.”

Concert-goers last year complained they were forced to walk kilometres to get an Uber, after giving up on bus lines.

Buderim music producer Alex Henriksson, who runs Rainbow Valley Records with musician Matt Corby, said the festival was an “amazing thing” for the Coast.

“Hopefully this will also show people the Coast is a great place to play as a destination, and more smaller events will come of it as well to ignite more nightlife and local events too.”

Mufassa’s Dale Mallett, a popular local roots musician, said: “The more festivals on the Sunny Coast the better. Hopefully they get some local acts on the bill to support our music community.”

Yelo has contacted Groovin the Moo for comment regarding noise and traffic.

Organisers said on social media the 2024 line-up would be revealed “very soon”.

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