SAVE TERELLA BREWING

Save Terella Brewing: We’re in the Fight of Our Lives Please Stand with Terella

This Is the Hardest Thing We’ve Ever Written, for six years we’ve welcomed families onto our working farm acreage offering free, themed community days where kids ran free, met our rescue animals, and families came together. We’ve built Terella into a safe space for the Sunshine Coast.

Now, Council wants to shut us down, serving summonses on our two directors and launching legal proceedings in both the Planning and Environment Court and the Magistrates Court. We’ve already spent tens of thousands of dollars defending ourselves. It feels like we’re being punished before we’ve even been heard.

This is more than a legal fight. It’s a community fight, we’re devastated, disheartened and facing the real possibility of being forced to close our doors for good. We are not developers. We are not pub barons. We’re just two blokes who love what we do and wanted to build something special for the Coast.

Our Story, How It Came to This

· In 2018–2019 we met with Council representatives, received advice that a brewery would suit our land use, on that advice we invested everything we had and built accordingly. We secured our liquor licences and opened Terella.

· For years we continued to operate as the family friendly place you know and love, supporting local growers, makers, artists, charities, and employing staff who became part of our Terella family.

· Then, in 2023, Council advised us they had received complaints about noise and traffic, with feedback to the best of our knowledge coming from a single nearby property. We acted immediately: we created a traffic & parking management plan, put on parking attendants for busy days & and implemented noise control processes.

· Council asked us to lodge a Material Change of Use application. In 2024, we invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in plans, reports & application fees to submit that application. It's still under assessment.

· Then in 2025, despite following their instructions and working in good faith, Council escalated by issuing an Enforcement Notice ordering us to cease operations. We couldn’t possibly have shut everything down, and we didn’t agree with the allegations Council had made, so we had no choice but to appeal that decision.

· In an extraordinary move, Council has begun personal proceedings against us as directors. These are allegations only, not proof of wrongdoing and we are determined to clear our names.

· We have attempted to discuss Council’s concerns and find a way to resolve these legal proceedings, but so far, Council has refused our repeated attempts. Council seems determined to take this all the way through the courts draining our finances and risking the future of everything we love!

What’s at Risk For Our Community.

We are faced with an impossible choice; close down or continue with the appeal. If we close:

· we would lose our income, leaving no funds to finish the development application or defend ourselves against prosecution

· the amazing, skilled, family-minded team that we’ve spent years building would have to leave

· our beloved rescue farm animals that are now part of our family and our visitors’ experience would need to be re-homed.

· there would be knock-on effects for our local suppliers, stallholders, musicians and charities who rely on our support.

We can’t let that happen, but defending simultaneous court actions is brutally expensive and time-sensitive, so we are asking for your support to fight on. Without community help, legal costs alone could end us before our case is properly heard. Your support enables us to participate fully and fairly, and to keep our staff employed.

Terella isn’t a suburban pub, it’s a family-friendly experience on a working farm that supports local growers, makers, artists, charities and jobs. We’re one of the few places on the Coast where kids can safely run free on open lawns, meet the animals (under supervision), and just be kids again while parents catch up nearby. That family focus is our first priority, it shapes our hours, our staffing and our responsible-service approach. We host themed community days, charity events and more, all free to attend. If we’re shut down, families lose a rare, beloved space, and local businesses, artists and performers who rely on us lose a vital source of income

How You Can Help Today

1. Donate what you can, even $5 helps us cover legal costs to keep defending our rights, supporting our team, and serving our community.

2. Share this campaign on social media, local groups, with friends, and in local media.

3. Leave a message of support, we’ll share them with our team, and it truly lifts spirits. 4. Businesses & breweries: Email us at [E-Mail ausgeblendet] to join our Supporter Wall or co-host a fundraiser.

5. Contact your local councillors and the Mayor, respectfully ask them to support a solution that keeps Terella open while the MCU is assessed. Personal stories help; please keep it courteous. Suggested message: “I’m a Sunshine Coast resident/supporter of Terella. Please support Terella to remain open.”

Our Commitment to You

· Any donations will be used to fight these allegations and keep our doors open!

· We will provide update on our progress (respecting the limitations of the court process)

· If the court requires us to make changes to the way we operate, we’ll comply and keep serving our community within the rules.

FAQ

Q: You guys look like you’re killing it, why can’t you afford the legal fees on your own? We get why it looks that way from the outside, but here’s the reality:

• We pay ourselves a modest wage for the work we do (we’ve got to eat too) but not $1 of profit has been taken out by the owners. Since day one, there have been no dividends or profit withdrawals, every cent has been reinvested back into Terella.

• Hospitality margins are thin and volatile. Rising costs (supplies, wages, insurance, taxes, utilities) and softer attendance have squeezed what used to be our safety buffer.

• This is an extraordinary, unbudgeted hit. Running two legal actions at once (Magistrates + Planning and Environment Court) demands large up-front retainers and expert reports that small businesses simply don’t carry cash reserves for.

• We prioritise jobs and suppliers. Our cash flow goes first to staff wages, local suppliers, compliance and keeping the doors open.

Q: Are you operating illegally? No, we dispute that characterisation. We are an approved brewery and we operate under OLGR licences. The current dispute concerns planning classification/conditions, which is before the Planning and Environment Court. Allegations in an enforcement notice or prosecution are not findings.

Q: Why not pause operations while the case is decided? A: Because closure means insolvency. We can’t afford to stop trading—without income, we lose our staff, animals, and the chance to continue. We must trade to live and defend ourselves.

Q: Is it okay to crowdfund for legal fees? Yes. We will keep costs focused on legal/expert needs, and provide regular updates.

Q: What if you lose? We’ll comply with any orders, use funds strictly for legal/expert costs, and report back to supporters on next steps

This Isn’t Just About Us

Every family, every local business, every child who’s laughed, played, created, or found joy at Terella is worth fighting for. We’re more than a venue, we’re a community hub and a beacon of connection on the Sunshine Coast. Being shoved toward the brink without any opportunity to speak up, share our side, or have a real conversation is heartbreaking. But we’re not giving up.

If you believe in Terella, our people, and the values we uphold, please stand with us now.

Want to see the real faces behind Terella? check this out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-F2U31vAkw