NightQuarter On The Move
The first shipping containers arrive in Birtinya this week in preparation for new night time destination NightQuarter to rise.
NightQuarter, the highly anticipated new night time destination, is on the move. The precinct was located on the Gold Coast for three years and is now set to rise on the Sunshine Coast.
The first of one hundred containers arrives at the Birtinya location this week.
Located at 8 The Avenue, Birtinya adjacent to Stockland Birtinya, NightQuarter is an award-winning entertainment precinct and night destination.
It is a unique blend of street food, community and culture. It’s an ever-evolving festival with a kaleidoscope of different experiences, flavours and sounds every weekend. With an ethos of shared eating, shared experience and shared conversation, the shipping container urban playground is set to open at Birtinya on the Sunshine Coast shortly and become a place for the local community to congregate.
“The NightQuarter space is created from recycled materials, from shipping containers to reclaimed timbers to artworks created from salvaged plastics. All the containers are ex-Queensland rail containers that have been upcycled to become micro-restaurants, shopfronts and immersive spaces” said NightQuarter” co-owner Michelle Christoe.
Michelle Christoe has long been an advocate of sustainability having formed and facilitated a Common Language Group for fisheries to define and agree across the industry, principles of sustainability and gain consensus on what ‘sustainability’ actually means to ensure a common approach.
Stallholders will use compostable packaging and customers are encouraged to bring their own containers.
“As one of our initiatives, we will be working with local charity organisation, Wishlist and Envirobank to recycle bottles and cans” said Christoe. Wishlist CEO Lisa Rowe is thrilled NightQuarter is partnering with Wishlist, “We are excited to welcome award-winning destination NightQuarter to Birtinya,” Ms Rowe said.
The NightQuarter RepairLab and Community Container will be launching when NightQuarter opens as part of a new focus empowering the community to reduce, reuse and recycle. The space will provide opportunities for the community to meet with skilled volunteers to repair and reuse furniture, clothes, jewellery, bicycles and more. It will have regular workshops on how to make art out of plastics, gardening, composting, recycling electronics, repurposing jewellery and glass. It will also be a space where local organisations and charities can pop up to connect with the local community.
“Changing patterns of behaviour to reduce our waste is the easiest and cheapest solution. When we look at some basic stats only 1% of what we purchase is still in use six months later; and each Australian household spends $1266 on goods that are never used each year. We realised that as part of the community we need to raise consciousness on our behaviour,” said Michelle Christoe.
Sunshine Coast Council Environment Portfolio Councillor, Jenny McKay has commended the NightQuarter team for incorporating sustainability initiatives into their business concept.
“Council is pleased to have NightQuarter onboard supporting dynamic sustainability initiatives which will help connect people in a creative, fun, collaborative space,” Cr McKay said.
“We are looking forward to working with the NightQuarter team on initiatives such as the Living Smart program, the Repair Lab, Community Container and other events within the 2020 Fabric, slow fashion – artful living program.”
The community on the Sunshine Coast is excited about the arrival of NightQuarter and there is a lot of anticipation about its opening this year.
“NightQuarter is a family-friendly marketplace that offers the very best in street food, market stalls and live entertainment, while also placing particular emphasis on nurturing new local artists, performers and musicians.
“At Stockland Birtinya we’re committed to attracting curated, memorable experiences for our customers, and the addition of activations like the hugely successful NightQuarter will help to build a dynamic heart in our community. Birtinya will, even more so now, be seen as a great place to live, work and play” Shane Monro, Centre Manager, Stockland Birtinya Shopping Centre
The venue will open with an exclusive opening weekend, operating Friday and Saturdays 4 to 10pm and Sundays noon to 6pm.
Numbers are limited on the Opening Night. The early access registration is currently live on the NightQuarter website www.nightquarter.com.au.
