Mr Batty was closed the 26ha holiday stay beside Lake Cootharaba for three months. But his business has just successfully completed a recruiting drive for kitchen staff including chefs after a $1 million upgrade. We ve managed to survive, we re going OK and getting ourselves back on our feet, Mr Batty said. It s still not perfect (business) conditions, the national visitors are still not here. Habitat Noosa operator Wade Batty would love to see a return of more interstate visitors. Mr Batty said for the second year in a row their fortunes were setback big time by a COVID lockdown right on the eve of Good Friday and then by rain.