DOESN’T EXIST
Residents demand recognition for Kirra
PASSIONATE residents are lobbying authorities to recognise one of the Gold Coast’s most famous surfing suburbs – because technically it has not existed for more than 100 years.
Businessman Piers Booth has launched a parliamentary petition to gain recognition for Kirra.
Despite being the home of a legendary surf break and location for the historic Kirra Pavilion and Kirra Point Groyne, the southern coast beachside village is not gazetted as a suburb.
Mr Booth, who has a Sydney-based business, said: “We moved to Kirra from Cronulla then Byron Bay and Palm Beach over three years ago, and finally bought our little slice of paradise in what is sold as Kirra but we later found out is Coolangatta.
“It’s going to be my home for the foreseeable future. It’s a pain for locals but to fill out legal binding forms, pay our rates, renew our driver’s licence or call an ambulance when we are forced to use Coolangatta.
“This doesn’t sit well with people on the street, local shop owners and millennials trying to put their suburb of residence on Facebook.
“I’m a person who likes to put things right and at the minute Kirra is a quasi suburb and I, along with many, want Kirra recognised.”
The name is understood to derive from Kirra Hill, which first appeared on survey plans in the mid-1880s.
Mr Booth reached out first to the council where officers explained that Kirra had not been gazetted as a place name under the Place Names Act 1994, unlike Bilinga and Coolangatta.
“Until such a time as it is gazetted there will be no properties registered in the City of Gold Coast under the suburb Kirra, and therefore it will not be available as a property address for our online services forms to ensure they align,” a council officer said.
“The forms do have more leniency when it comes to postal addresses. However, these must still align with Australia Post’s databases where Kirra is also not listed as a suburb.”
Currumbin MP Laura Gerber has backed Mr Booth’s petition. It can be found at https:// www.parliament.qld.gov.au/ work-of-assembly/petitions/ petition-details?id=3379.
Ninety-two people have backed the petition, which says Kirra shares the postcode of 4225 with Bilinga and Coolangatta but is unrecognised as a stand-alone suburb, causing “much grief to the taxpayers that call Kirra their home”.
“This is a simple request and would provide a simple solution to everyday tasks like bill paying, licence renewals – Kirra is a world-famous tourist destination now and signed accordingly by all forms of government but unfortunately the name Kirra has been left ungazetted as to be legal,” the petition said.
Ms Gerber said: “Most people don’t realise that Kirra isn’t its own suburb. Even Google Maps thinks Kirra is a suburb.
“Kirra is an iconic tourist destination that deserves acknowledgment. Kirra has its own unique identity, a vibrant small business community and a world-famous surf break at Kirra Point. It’s about time Kirra was officially gazetted as a suburb in its own right.
“I’m proud to have community-focused and engaged locals like Piers in my electorate, willing to put their time and energy into making our community the best place to live, work and raise a family.”
KIRRA is one of the Gold Coast’s bestknown beaches and an iconic surfing spot recognised the world over.
There is no question that Kirra is synonymous with the Gold Coast.
But many will be shocked to discover it is not an official suburb, unrecognised by the State Government.
This isn’t some mysterious turn of events – it’s always been that way and locals say it should change.
They argue Kirra should be officially recognised as a suburb in all documents and maps from now, citing a lack of cost.
It’s not out of the ordinary – back in the late 2000s a petition by Hinterland residents saw Neranwood successfully reinstated as a Gold Coast suburb.
Beenleigh famously was removed from the Gold Coast in 2008 as part of an electoral boundary shift.
History is on the Gold Coast’s side and if the argument can successfully be made then perhaps Kirra, and other unofficial suburbs will gain that small, but substantial piece of status that it so richly deserves.