Council orders closure of Merimbula community hub after labeling it a place of worship

Bega Valley Shire Council sent a notice to the Merimbula Ummah Community Centre declaring it a place of worship, which under recent NSW legislation requires a development application and can lead to enforcement. The ruling came after the state expanded council powers in May, a response to the Bondi mass shooting. Centre patron Qayyum Shah argues the site is a community hub, with prayer rooms used for less than 20 minutes each week, similar to facilities in airports or schools.

Council officials said the religious component is separate from the centre's broader community-facility classification. Local Muslims, including president Marwa Hudson, say the shutdown leaves them feeling excluded and uncertain about their place in the town. The NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure declined to comment on the matter.