CoolCabana beach shelter: Mark Fraser defends Noosa invention that shades ... trends now
CoolCabana beach shades have become so popular on Australian beaches this summer that some are now complaining there are too many of them.
But the company's Queensland CEO - who quietly started the company almost 10 years ago - has defended his genius business idea, saying the tents show Australians are finally embracing sun safety and getting serious about skin cancer.
'On a beautiful summer's weekend, the most popular beaches are filled with people enjoying the beach, that is awesome regardless of whether or not they are under a CoolCabana,' he told news.com.au.
'It’s one of the best things about Australia but if we are taking melanoma seriously then people need to be able to enjoy the beach whilst also protecting themselves from overexposure to UV rays and sun damage.'
Architect Mark Fraser came up with the idea of an easy to use shade while holidaying with his wife and children at Noosa on Queensland's Sunshine Coast in 2014.
He saw people struggle to put up umbrella shades and thought he could design something far better.
His genius hack to one of life's little annoyances has since turned CoolCabanas into a multi-million dollar global empire.
However, in a bitter twist of irony, some of CoolCabanas' biggest detractors are from Noosa with locals taking to social media to blast the beach shelters.
'The natural beauty is being ruined,' one wrote on a photo of Noosa beach awash with CoolCabanas.
'Yeah, sun smart, but looking more and more like a European beach these days,' another wrote.
Many social media users have taken to TikTok in recent weeks asking if they missed the memo about CoolCabanas
CoolCabana beach shades (pictured) are proving very popular this summer across Australia
'We've always enjoyed the beach and like everyone, have seen beach umbrellas blow away or mum and dads struggling to fold away a springy beach shelter while in full view of beach goers,' Mr Fraser told The Sunday Mail back in January, 2021.
The basic plan was that it must be wind resistant, easy to use and comfortable enough for families to spend the entire day under.
He sketched out design options there and then while sitting on the beach and came up with the core idea of a centre pole and corner arms held up by sand bags.
Mr Fraser, who was born and educated in New Zealand, didn't immediately see dollar signs with his invention, he was simply trying to help people avoid the dangers of the sun.
He thought a better shade design would help lower sunburn - and potentially skin cancer - levels in Australia and give people better memories of their beach trips.
The budding entrepreneur hired a seamstress in Brisbane to put his design together and tested it with his own family over the summer of 2014/2015.
CoolCabanas inventor Mark Fraser (pictured) said his success has not changed how he lives his life
Thinking about what users would and would not need in the end product led to additions such as pockets for car keys, wallets and sunglasses.
Within five months of coming up with the idea on a beach in Noosa, Mr Fraser was selling first CoolCabanas to the public.
By then it was winter in Australia, so he looked
