Published on 06 March 2026
A message from Gympie Regional Council Mayor, Glen Hartwig, regarding the Three Creeks farm stall. Some community members may be aware of recent discussion about a small group selling produce from Eileen Hose Park (Three Creeks farm stall) after earlier operating a roadside stall at the corner of Eel Creek and Marys Creek roads. I thought it was important to take this opportunity to address the matter and provide some clarity for the community. The food market operating at Eileen Hose Park does not have adequate insurance or permits for the scale of the activity happening on site. Due to the size of the operation and the frequency of vehicles, children, and pedestrians in the road reserve, it’s reasonable and a requirement for the operators to address any risks to public safety. From the outset, Council made it clear that we supported their idea; however, needed to ensure the relevant insurance was current for the activity they were undertaking. Council has gone above and beyond to help the group gain adequate insurance and approval to operate legally, but despite the best efforts of Council staff and elected members, the group has been unwilling to meet its obligations. There are multiple markets successfully operating around the region with the appropriate permits in place, and Council is very supportive of these types of activities. The expectations for Three Creeks are the same as those for any other market operating on Council land. In this instance, Council has been extremely accommodating and has tried on multiple occasions to help. We have offered to assist with traffic management plans to ensure the safety of pedestrians to protect the stallholders from litigation. We have also suggested commonsense options that - as stated by the operators themselves - could equate to a gold coin contribution by the stallholders each week to resolve insurance and mitigate litigation issues, however all suggestions and offers for assistance have been ultimately rejected. Public liability insurance is a standard requirement for markets across the Gympie region, and the same rules apply to Three Creeks. The Scenic Rim example relates to roadside stalls for primary producers, which is something our Council has supported for years. This provision does not allow markets in the way Three Creeks are operating, hence the action taken. Simply put, this matter can be resolved with the appropriate insurance being current for the activity that is being conducted – which is the same standard for all markets operating on public land in our region.