There’s just one problem with Australia’s wildest beach volleyball event: there’s no beach.
No crashing waves. No salty breeze. Not even a glimpse of the sea.
Instead, thousands of people gather each year on a tarred road in the rural town of Cootamundra, about 400km from the nearest coastline, to celebrate what locals proudly call “Coota Beach”.
And like many big Australian ideas, it all started at the pub.
A Pub Idea That Turned Into a Town Phenomenon
Simon Sutherland was looking out the window at a quiet intersection in town when inspiration struck.
“What if we put in a beach volleyball court and play a competition?” he remembers thinking.
Not by the coast. Not by a river. But right there — on a sealed road, in the middle of town.
Sutherland wanted to recreate the carefree party atmosphere of Kuta in Bali, a favourite holiday destination for Australians. Sun, sand, music, sport and community spirit — why should coastal towns have all the fun?
So that night, he went home and sketched out a plan for what would become Coota Beach.
Twenty-five years later, that spontaneous idea has evolved into one of regional Australia’s most distinctive festivals.
From One-Day Competition to Three-Day Festival
What began as a single day of beach volleyball has grown into a three-day sporting and cultural celebration that draws thousands of visitors.
Every year, truckloads of sand are poured onto a closed-off stretch of road in Cootamundra’s town centre. Nets go up. Music pumps through speakers. Players compete under the hot summer sun.
The transformation is dramatic.
For a few days, a rural New South Wales town better known for farming and country life turns into a makeshift beach carnival.
The event now includes:
- Competitive and social volleyball tournaments
- Live music and entertainment
- Food stalls and local vendors
- Family-friendly activities
- Evening festivities that keep the energy high
What started as a quirky novelty has become a fixture on the town’s calendar.
More Than a Game
A Boost for the Local Economy
The impact goes beyond sport.
Organisers estimate the event generates around A$2 million in revenue for the local economy each year. Hotels book out. Cafes and pubs overflow. Local businesses see one of their busiest weekends of the year.
For a regional town, that kind of economic injection is significant.
Tourists travel from across New South Wales and beyond, curious to experience a “beach” in a place surrounded by farmland rather than coastline.
The novelty is part of the appeal.
A Tradition Across Generations
For many locals, Coota Beach isn’t just an event — it’s a ritual.
Eighty-six-year-old grandmother Pat Roberts says she has made cheering on her children and grandchildren a summer tradition.
“In a way, I think it’s bigger than Christmas,” she says.
That might sound like exaggeration, but in small towns, shared events carry deep meaning. They bring together families who have moved away. They create memories that stretch across generations.
Children who once built sandcastles on the temporary court now return as adults to play in the tournament themselves.
The festival has become woven into the town’s identity.
The Power of a Wild Idea
Coota Beach stands as proof that you don’t need natural surf to create a beach vibe.
All you need is:
- Sand
- Sport
- Music
- A bit of imagination
And perhaps most importantly, community buy-in.
What makes the event special isn’t just the novelty of sand on asphalt. It’s the collective effort behind it. Volunteers, local sponsors, businesses and residents all play a role in pulling off the transformation each year.
Closing down a main intersection and turning it into a beach volleyball court takes planning, logistics and commitment.
But for Cootamundra, it’s worth it.
Why It Works
A Taste of the Coast in the Country
For inland Australians, a beach holiday often means hours of driving. By recreating that atmosphere at home, Coota Beach offers a slice of coastal culture without leaving town.
There’s also something uniquely Australian about the concept — playful, slightly irreverent, and community-driven.
It captures the laid-back spirit people associate with summer holidays, even if the nearest ocean is 400km away.
Pride in Regional Creativity
Regional towns sometimes struggle with declining populations or economic pressures. Events like Coota Beach flip the script.
Instead of being defined by distance from major cities or coastlines, the town becomes known for its creativity.
It draws attention, media coverage and visitors — not because of natural features, but because of a bold idea executed well.
Bigger Than Christmas?
When Pat Roberts says the event feels bigger than Christmas, she’s talking about more than scale.
Christmas happens everywhere. Coota Beach belongs to Cootamundra.
It’s uniquely theirs.
It represents 25 years of persistence, growth and shared effort. It has survived changing times, weather challenges and economic ups and downs.
And each year, when the sand is poured onto the road once again, it signals the start of something locals eagerly anticipate.
From Pub Window to National Attention
Looking back, it’s remarkable how casually the idea began.
One man. One intersection. One question: what if?
Now, Coota Beach is recognised as one of Australia’s quirkiest and most beloved regional festivals — proof that big dreams don’t require ocean views.
Sometimes, they just require someone willing to look at a stretch of asphalt and see a beach.
