Your guide to Council services over the holidays
Council's services over the festive season.
Sunshine Coast Council will continue to offer residents and visitors a wide range of important services over the festive season.
Some services will see changes to operating hours, while others will remain open to support and safeguard the community right through the holiday period and into 2026!
Waste Collection
All kerbside waste, garden organics and recycling collections will continue as normal - even on public holidays. Council’s resource recovery facilities will close just for Christmas Day, then continue to trade as normal on all other days. Check Council’s website.
Customer Contact
For emergencies and urgent matters, Council is available 24/7 by phoning our after-hours emergency call centre on 07 5475 7272.
Customer Service Counters:
- Wednesday 24 December: Customer service counters will open at 8.30am and close early at 2pm for Christmas Eve.
- Thursday 25 December and Friday 26 December: All customer service counters will be closed.
- Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 December: Caloundra’s customer service counter will be open 8.30am-4.30pm. Nambour and Maroochydore counters will be closed.
- Wednesday 31 December: Caloundra’s customer service counter will be open 8.30am-2pm. Nambour and Maroochydore counters will be closed.
- Thursday 1 January: All customer service counters will be closed for New Year’s Day.
- Friday 2 January: The Caloundra customer service counter will be open 8.30am-4.30pm. Nambour and Maroochydore counters will be closed.
After-Hours email support
Emails sent to [email protected] and [email protected] will be reviewed for urgent Council issues only during the short shutdown period.
Development Services
Development Information Counters will be closed from midday Wednesday 24 December and reopening 8.30am on Monday 5 January.
Development Advice Services will be closed from Monday 15 December and reopening Friday 16 January. This includes appointments regarding pre-purchase, pre-lodgement, design advice, personalised case management, and operational work pre-design.
Beach Patrols and Aquatic Centres
Council-funded, professional lifeguards and volunteer surf lifesavers will patrol major beach locations daily, with extended hours through the Christmas period. To check local patrol times, head to the Beach Safe website and search for your favourite beach. Remember to only swim during patrolled hours and in between the red and yellow flags.
Council Aquatic Centres will close on Christmas Day with a reduced hours on Boxing Day and New Years Day. Check Council’s website or your local pool’s web page.
Libraries, Galleries and Museums
Sunshine Coast Libraries will close on public holidays but operate on all other days during the holiday season. Libraries will close early at 2pm on Wednesday 24 December and Wednesday 31 December. Residents can borrow thousands of books, magazines, music and movies, for the whole family.
The Sunshine Coast Mobile Library service will close from Monday 22 December, and will resume on Saturday 3 January. Council’s e-library is accessible 365 days a year and has thousands of online resources to choose from.
Another great place worth a visit is the state heritage listed property, Bankfoot House in the Glass House Mountains. Discover an extraordinary family history dating back to 1868, with guided tours available. The house and the heritage precinct are open every Wednesday to Sunday 10am-3pm and closed on public holidays. Bankfoot House will be closed from Christmas Day, reopening Friday 2 January.
The Heritage listed Landsborough Museum will also be open every Wednesday to Sunday 10am-3pm and closed on public holidays. Landsborough Museum will be closed from Christmas Day, reopening Friday 2 January.
Caloundra Regional Gallery will remain open 10am-4pm Tuesday to Friday, 10am-2pm on weekends. It will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day.
Discover the natural jewel of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve. Visitors of all ages will enjoy exploring the interactive displays in the Rainforest Discovery Centre open daily between 9.30am-3.30pm, closing for Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and Australia Day.
Explore the beautiful mix of native display gardens, nature play spaces, sculptures, bush walks and picnic venues in a tranquil bushland setting at the Maroochy Bushland Botanic Garden, located in Tanawha and open daily from 7am-6pm.
Animal Pound
Emergency services continue to be provided throughout the festive season. Contact Council 24-hours a day via the customer service phone number 07 5475 7272.
- Wednesday 24 December: Open at 8.30am and closing early at 2pm for Christmas Eve.
- Thursday 24 and Friday 25: Closed for Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
- Saturday 27 December: Open from 9am.
- Monday 29 December: Open from 8.15am.
- Thursday 1 January: Closed for New Year’s Day.
Cemetery Services
Council can be contacted 24-hours a day via customer service on 07 5475 7272. More information about cemetery services can be found on Council’s website.
Disasters and Emergencies
Right throughout summer Council’s Local Disaster and Emergency Group will monitor the weather and keep you up to date with any alerts and helpful information via Disaster Hub.
The Hub has important, up-to-date information and links to key emergency services in one location, including weather warnings, road closures, evacuation centres, airport updates, traffic cameras, flood mapping, as well as Council’s news updates and social media posts.
To report a Council related emergency during or outside of business hours, phone 5475 7272. Examples can include missed waste bins, fallen trees and debris on roads.
Other emergency contacts:
Main Roads – urgent main road matters 13 19 40
Unitywater – for urgent water and sewer matters 1300 086 489
Coast Guard – Mooloolaba (07) 5444 3222
Caloundra Marine Assist (24/7) 0429 913 533
State Emergency Service (SES) 132 500
Energex 13 19 62