A Melbourne yoga teacher leading free open air yoga gatherings on St Kilda Beach has been told by the local council that she’ll need to pay nearly $10,000 to keep running the mental health initiative.
The twice-weekly sessions have grown so much in popularity they’ve exceeded their current permit, prompting the City of Port Phillip council to crack down — but the teacher says the accessible mental health initiative needs to be supported.
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Eliza Hilmer began inviting locals to roll out their yoga mats in the public area during the pandemic “as a response to the mental health crisis” the community was experiencing, she told 7NEWS.com.au.
But as the cost of living increased over the four years that followed, so too did the number of locals capitalising on the free weekly hour of guided mindfulness and meditation — with over 150 people coming together on the busiest mornings of late.
Now, the council wants that number to be capped at 15, or for the community gatherings to come at a cost.
Hilmer told 7NEWS.com.au the council requires her to now pay for a $400 permit each time the yogis gather — that’s $800 a week on an arrangement which would need to be paid three months in advance.
That means if Hilmer wants to continue providing access to yoga for those who can’t afford the $35 classes in-studio, she’d theoretically have to pay $9600 up front. Over the year, the free classes would cost her $38,400.
But that arrangement isn’t even plausible because the permits can only support four events per year, which means there’s no current way forward for the free weekly gatherings as they currently stand.
Hilmer is not paid to run the sessions, and uses a portion of optional donations to Pay the Rent (voluntary fee paid to a First Nations organisation for use of the land), as well as to provide tea and snacks for her community, live acoustic music and free mats for those who don’t have one.
“Since day one I inquired and paid the council for permission to use this land to offer the community wellness by donation for those who can, free for those who can’t,” Hilmer said on a petition to save the initiative, which amassed nearly 1000 signatures within days.
“Restricting numbers, means telling people that they are not welcome to join, that they ‘can’t sit with us’, that they need to leave this public beach and do what … move 1.5m away from the rest of the group? Go home?”
The gatherings started after a couple of members of Hilmer’s yoga studio joined her in meditation on the beach. Slowly more joined, until they began practising yoga and welcoming anyone who wanted to join.
She told 7NEWS.com.au that after the pandemic restrictions lifted, she expected the community to join her back in her St Kilda studio, where she works full-time. But that didn’t happen —and it highlighted the larger issue of access to mental health support.
“Wellness is being offered at an accessible price for those who can’t afford it and need it most. I could just work at my studio, this is a lot of energy, but the reason I wanted to offer this was because there’s a demographic I’m not reaching.”
Hilmer’s current personal trainer permit, which she proactively sought out when attendance boomed, costs $331 annually but technically only allows her to teach 15 people at a time on the foreshore.
But the $400 permit council have suggested for Hilmer is the same that would be required for a large ticketed event.
‘Useless bureaucrats’
City of Port Phillip Mayor Heather Cunsolo told 7NEWS.com.au she is fond of Hilmer’s initiative, but noted why current restrictions will not allow it as is.
“It’s fantastic to see the growth of Feel Good Flows, and we’re delighted to see so many people encouraged to take part in yoga sessions with such a St Kilda vibe,” she said.
“However, the business needs to adhere to its Personal Training Licence in line with other commercial businesses at our beach destinations to ensure our popular public spaces remain available, safe and enjoyable for everyone.
“These rules also prevent multiple commercial businesses from occupying large portions of public open space at the expense of other beach-goers.”
Cunsolo suggested Hilmer run larger events four times a year, or smaller sessions more frequently — but neither suggestion appears to consider the donation-based model for the impacted demographic, or Hilmer’s full-time job.
“They’re suggesting exclusive use of that land for a commercial entity that wants to benefit from it, whereas this is a wellness gathering where anyone can come and there is an option to attend for free if you cannot make a donation and I don’t check why,” Hilmer told 7NEWS.com.au.
But Cunsolo said: “If the petition is sent to council, the matter will be heard in the council chamber.”
Instagram comments on Hilmer’s announcement this week that the seaside sessions needed saving expressed their support for the initiative and lashed the council over the move.
“This council is being very mean spirited. Leave her alone!” one person wrote. “Another pathetic decision by useless bureaucrats,” another said.
“Invite the council to a session and see if that changes their mind. They are money hungry scavengers as far as I’m concerned,” another wrote.
