04/02/2026
Media Release from LEADA
Lakes Entrance Action and Development Association (LEADA) has confirmed it will not be coordinating the market stalls for the Hooked on Lakes 2026 event on the Labour Day long weekend..
The decision was made after it became clear that commercial mobile food traders were being invited to operate at the event on a no-fee basis.
LEADA is a volunteer organisation.. When our volunteers coordinate a market, the stallholder fees aren’t profit, they are an essential form of fundraising that supports community outcomes, including our New Year’s Eve festival and the many behind-the-scenes costs that make markets safe and successful.
These fees also recognise the real workload that volunteers take on, trader coordination, compliance, waste management, communication, and on-the-ground delivery. If commercial food trucks are trading with no fee, then it is neither fair nor feasible for LEADA to charge other market stallholders, and we cannot put our volunteers in the position of assisting in the delivery of a commercial trading environment without equitable contribution from those benefiting.
LEADA also noted that the Hooked on Lakes event is scheduled on a long weekend when visitation to Lakes Entrance is already high.
Long weekends already deliver strong visitor numbers. The key issue is where that spending lands, and whether the model strengthens the year-round businesses that employ locals and keep Lakes Entrance trading outside peak times. A no-fee pop-up food truck model can shift trade away from permanent cafés, pubs and restaurants who buy local seafood and local produce all year round and carry the costs of operating in town 52 weeks a year.
LEADA is also using this moment to clarify a broader shift in direction.
Going forward, LEADA will be stepping back from directly running multiple major events and will focus more on supporting and empowering local community groups to host new and existing events. This approach helps groups fundraise for their own purposes, strengthen their memberships, and build community participation when people align with the activities and causes they care about.
LEADA will continue its core work as an advocacy body, representing local traders and championing Lakes Entrance as an iconic tourist destination. LEADA will also support local community groups to create and grow events by providing promotion, practical coordination advice and collaboration, where it is fair, transparent and delivers clear benefits to the local economy.
LEADA emphasises that it remains supportive of events that showcase Lakes Entrance and the region’s fishing industry, provided event settings are fair and deliver genuine local benefit.
Our decision is about fairness for local businesses and respect for volunteers. LEADA remains open to working with partners on models that prioritise local participation, transparency, and community benefit.
