Noosa has been one of Australia’s premier hospitality destinations for decades prior to the COVID19 pandemic and will most likely continue to be decades after. The lazy beach town very much has two distinct sides to it. The beaches and cafes which travel at half pace to everywhere else and Hastings Street which could be mistaken for Miami’s luxury shopping or hospitality districts had it not been for the very distinctly Australian luxury brands which litter the street.

Yes, Noosa is very much a tale of two holidays at times. But today the little tourist town finds itself comparatively empty with the entire town travelling at the half-pace the front beach finds itself at, most of the time.

Today, though, I didn’t want to focus on Noosa itself but moreover, it’s large-scale expansion into the remainder of Australia. More and more the iconic brands which you expect to be exclusive to your holiday are popping up in other places around the country.

Betty’s Burgers & Concrete Co. are a fantastic example of a hospitality venture that’s found success Australia-wide. The company was once an exclusive Noosa institution for travellers and locals alike. Having taken up residence in Hasting’s street the business has gone through multiple owners and iterations as well.

In the past couple of years though Betty’s has pursued an aggressive expansion into capital cities after discovering that their business neither needs to be seasonal nor restricted to holiday goers. The expansion is so aggressive in fact that Betty’s parent company Retail Zoo plans to open 150 locations Australia wide after opening their 25^th location in Byron Bay last December.

It’s not just fast food though, another Noosa institution known for being awarded Australia’s best regional bar has opened a second location in Broadbeach and is planning to do more in the future as well. Miss Moneypenny’s, also located on Hastings Street, is widely regarded as one of the pinnacles of drinking combined with fine casual dining in Noosa. The institution is also known for being Mediterranean inspired and bringing International music names to the venue to perform at the popular Sunday afternoon party.

The owner of the bar, Ben Walsh, planned to bring this same vibe to Broadbeach and largely has been successful with the same casual atmosphere in Noosa transferring well to the hustle and bustle of the Gold Coast.

So, what’s driving this city-change for many coastal venues? It’s probably not as complex as you might think. Unbelievably, most people don’t like the city. They’re forced to be there because of work, housing and infrastructure. These hospitality venue owners who did open originally in holiday destinations have struck accidental gold with their tropical vibe and décor and the expensive but extremely high-quality menus. Not surprisingly, those same features sell just as well in the big smoke as they do by the beach. And it wouldn’t surprise me to see more successful coastal institutions open up second and third venues closer to Australia’s cities in the wake of COVID19.