A local business owner is claiming unfair double standards after plans to operate his Finnish mobile sauna out of South Curl Curl car park were rejected by Northern Beaches Council over environmental and planning concerns.
Rob Dempster-Smith created Cedar & Salt last year to provide beachgoers with a steamy experience before or after they enter the surf.
However, Council says the sauna contains noxious gases such as carbon monoxide and oxides of nitrogen which would have a negative environmental impact on the area.
“The primary issue that they have an issue with is it’s a wood heater… you’ll see smoke like any heater for the first five minutes. As soon as it heats up you’re just heating the rock and then there’s no smoke.”
“We’re absolutely ready to go. And we will have the insurance, it’s built to all the Australian and New Zealand standards… I’m just basically banging my head against the council about this red tape issue,” Rob said.
The business owner has over 700 signatures in favour of operating in the area and is currently working on a development application.
But in the meantime, he is working with private business owners and is now running a pop-up sauna service at Manly’s Quarantine Station.
Rob’s business idea sparked when he and his partner first experienced a sauna travelling through the Arctic Circle in Norway.
“They exposed us to the Nordic and Finnish sauna culture. And we absolutely loved it. And at that moment, I realised this is what I wanted to bring to Australia and share this experience with the local community.
“Especially Northern Beaches, because we have the most beautiful landscape,” Rob said.
Once he returned the business owner spent $50,000 fitting out the portable Finnish sauna, but was thwarted by Council who rejected the proposal over planning and environmental concerns.
“The primary issue that they have an issue with is it’s a wood heater… you’ll see smoke like any heater for the first five minutes. As soon as it heats up you’re just heating the rock and then there’s no smoke.
“I’ve offered to put in a particular filter, which is 3k. And that will remove 95 per cent of the particles that’s emitted from the flue. And they’ve rejected that as well.”
Rob says the 30-40 wood fire commercial businesses operating locally and the council-provided open fire pit barbecues – he claims are closer to residential areas than his sauna – are evidence of a double standard.
Manly Observer reached out to Northern Beaches Council to inquire as to why the application was rejected.
“The application was rejected in its current form for a number of reasons, not just because of environmental concerns,” a spokesperson advised,
“This type of commercial use requires appropriate authorization, as well as the relevant environmental assessments and planning approvals, which may then also require community consultation. Council staff have provided this advice to the applicant,” a Council representative said.
Rob is currently working with a team of town planners on a development application for operating within the South Curl Curl car park, this will cost him another 8K and will not guarantee a permit.
“I just want the same standard that, you know, a coffee van or crepe van, or a food truck would be operating on the beaches.”
“I just want the same standard that, you know, a coffee van or crepe van, or a food truck would be operating on the beaches.”
Multiple food trucks operate within the Northern Beaches, especially in Council beach car parks.
The Nomad Creperie is one of these trucks founded in 2021, it sells crepes, coffee and fresh juice and operates out of the South Curl Curl car park.
Its owner Pierre believes providing more vans with permits will be mutually beneficial to the community and business owners alike.
“From my point of view, as a business owner, I say, more markets, get the varieties. If I’m alone on the beach, I’m working less.
“If you get more diversified here, that’s really interesting to… Let people discover something different, that’s a part of the lifestyle on the beaches, I guess.”
Pierre added that it wasn’t difficult to get his permits, but it was a waiting game.
“It wasn’t, I won’t say difficult, but it does take time. Like you got many rules because we are on a reserve. And it’s important to comply with all of them.
“Like you got many rules because we are on a reserve. And it’s important to comply with all of them.”
“They make sense like the generator or plastic bags and stuff like that. But as long as you comply with that, you’re patient and you always refer to council, they always come back positively and that’s been quite nice, always great to deal with them.”
In the meantime, Rob has other plans to keep the coals burning for his business.
He will be refocusing its attention on working with private landowners around the Northern Beaches, but also in rural and alpine areas coming into winter.
Cedar & Salt are currently partnered with the Quarantine station until 28 April and have been operating there since last Monday, with some positive results.
“It’s really exciting, like, you know, the Q station massively seeing the value in it. It’s good for the area, it’s good for the people in the community and allows everybody to have another activity, which focuses on health and wellness.”
If the permits are approved, Rob plans to set up shop at South Curl Curl car park from 6 am to 9 am and then again in the afternoon for sunset sessions.
A second location at Palm Beach was also planned, but until then if he wants to provide steamy sessions to the public, it will need to be on private land.
