At Cootamundra-Gundagai Shire Council’s (CGRC) meeting on Tuesday, Council voted on whether or not they would extend Adina Care’s MOU regarding the delivery of Coota Beach Volleyball. This has come at the request of Adina Care themselves.
It was recommended Council exercise the option to extend the Memorandum of Understanding between CGRC and Adina Care for a further three-year term, until 2029.
They also voted on whether Council would provide a contribution totaling $25,000 in-kind support to be endorsed for the 2027, 2028 and 2029 events, funded from Council’s Cootamundra Events Budget.
The Coota Beach Volleyball Carnival has become one of the region’s premier community events, attracting significant visitation to Cootamundra and generating positive economic, tourism and social benefits for the local government area. The event has established a strong reputation and continues to attract competitors, spectators and visitors from across the region and beyond.
At its Ordinary Meeting held in November 2023, Council resolved to award the coordination of the Coota Beach Volleyball Carnival, via a Memorandum of Understanding, to Adina Care for an initial three-year term, with an option for a further three-year extension.
The existing MoU covers the 2024, 2025 and 2026 events and provides an option for a further three-year extension by mutual agreement.
Council has also received Adina Care’s Annual Report for the 2026 Coota Beach Volleyball Carnival. Council said the report highlights the successful delivery of the event and its continued contribution to community engagement, visitation, economic activity and fundraising outcomes.
Council believe the report demonstrates that Adina Care has fulfilled its obligations under the current MoU and has continued to effectively coordinate and manage the event on Council’s behalf. Importantly, proceeds generated through the event are reinvested into initiatives that directly enhance the care, wellbeing and quality of life of residents at Adina Care.
Council said the continuation of the partnership provides certainty for both Council and Adina Care, enabling long-term planning, sponsorship opportunities, volunteer recruitment and event development. Extending the MoU will support the continued growth and sustainability of the carnival while maintaining the significant community, economic, and tourism benefits it delivers to the region.
Council has historically resolved to provide in-kind support to the Coota Beach Volleyball Carnival to the value of $13,000 per annum. However, the actual cost of delivering this support has varied in recent years and has exceeded the resolved contribution.
The actual cost of Council’s in-kind support was as follows:
· 2024: $17,681
· 2025: $14,745
· 2026: $25,232
It is noted that in prior years (2024 and 2025), some costs associated with the demobilisation of the event were allocated across operational budgets. In 2026, a consolidated costing approach was applied, with all relevant expenditure captured to provide a more accurate representation of the total in-kind support provided by Council.
The current Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) details Council support, including the provision of staff resources, plant, equipment, venue preparation and other operational assistance required for the delivery of the event.
Due to increases in labour, plant and operational costs, the annual value of services required to be provided by Council under the MoU is estimated to be up to a maximum of $25,000 per annum.
As part of its request to extend the MoU, Adina Care has requested that Council consider increasing its annual contribution to $25,000. This request reflects the rising costs associated with delivering the event and seeks to support its ongoing sustainability.
Should Council support the extension of the MoU, consideration will need to be given to the level of financial and in-kind support to be provided over the term of the agreement. Any increase in Council’s contribution would be subject to future budget consideration and allocation through Council’s annual operational planning process.
The Cootamundra Beach Volleyball Carnival is one of the region’s most distinctive community events as the streets of Cootamundra become filled with sand and joy that brings together the community and beyond. Since its beginning in 2000, the Carnival has grown into a major annual drawcard and a showcase of local capability, volunteering, and community spirit.
In 2026, the Carnival pushed through the Covid era with strong partnerships, with organisers, council support, and community momentum ensuring it remains a standout event on the local calendar.
The carnival was founded in 2000 by Simon Sutherland, who wanted to promote Coota and help put it on the map. He worked with the Cootamundra Shire Council, the Cootamundra Development Corporation and the wider community, including family and volunteers.
The inaugural event brought a full beach-volleyball court to Cootamundra’s Main Street, with sand delivered so teams could get an authentic experience.
By 2019 (the last year prior to the COVID-era break), the Carnival had expanded substantially, reflecting its growing reputation and increasing participation as it transforms the town every year.
In recent years, the tournament has been centred around Murray Street, behind Woolworths, where courts are set up to accommodate the scale of the Carnival and the number of teams and spectators.
Council feedback has noted that the Carnival brings people from across the region into town and provides meaningful tourism and economic benefits.
In 2024, Adina Care, the aged care facility in Cootamundra, signed an MOU with CGRC to support delivery of the Carnival for a multi-year period covering 2024-2025. Adina Care believe this partnership strengthened the event’s capacity to plan effectively in the lead-up to each Carnival year and improved consistency in how key delivery elements are supported.
Adina Care believe extending the MOU ensures that Carnival retains a reliable and long-term support base, enabling:
• Better forward planning for event build, logistics, and operational readiness
• Improved continuity in sponsor and community relationships
• Greater certainty for volunteers, service providers, and partners involved in safe, high-quality event delivery
• Ongoing engagement between the event and local community institutions, supporting participation and community pride
The South West Slopes Times covers an area approximately the size of Fiji in country NSW. We look after a population of more than 50,000 people with our staff servicing 7 major towns and dozens of villages with our story telling footprint.
We offer weekly print editions at $3 a copy and we also offer digital subscriptions across 3 months $30, 6 months $60 and 12 months $120.
We are one of the last truly local independent family run newspaper businesses in the state.
Contact us today to find out how we can promote your business or organisation across our huge network by emailing ads@thetimes.net.au or by calling 0413 763 216.
If you have a news tip, lead or scoop for us please make contact as we love celebrating our communities. You can contribute articles via our South West Slopes Times website.