Marto Farms applies to convert property into worker accommodation

Family farming business Marto Farms has repurchased a family home in order to convert it into accommodation for up to 30 farm workers.

Marto Farms has lodged a development application with the Bundaberg Regional Council to build new farm worker accommodation and retain existing use rights for a residential care facility at a block of land in Norville. Artist's impression of the facility lodged with the application.

Bundaberg horticultural enterprise Marto Farms has lodged a development application with the Bundaberg Regional Council to build new farm worker accommodation and retain existing use rights for a residential care facility at a block of land in Norville.

Marto Farms is a family-owned and operated business run by brothers Andrew and Paul Martens, and their parents, Keith and Karen.

According to an article in the Queensland Country Life in July, Marto Farms “is a vast, horticultural operation, stretching across 2000 acres (809ha) of property” producing a variety of crops including seedless watermelons, zucchinis, macadamia nuts, and pumpkins.

The Marten family lodged the application with Bundaberg Regional Council for a material change of use at 4 Fitzgerald Street on September 9, 2024, a large block originally approved as a home for the Marten family before it was sold to the Endeavour Foundation, who converted it into a residential care facility for the disabled.

Marto Farms has lodged a development application with the Bundaberg Regional Council to build new farm worker accommodation and retain existing use rights for a residential care facility at a block of land in Norville. Artist's impression of the facility lodged with the application.

That use continued to operate on the site until recently when the property was repurchased by the Martens Family to accommodate rural workers’ that are employed to work on their various farms throughout the region.

The accommodation facility would be for up to 29 people and cover 390 metres squared of the 2515 metres squared site.

A staff report said the application proposed that the development retain its existing use rights to operate as a Residential Care Facility noting that only minor works are required internally to the building to change the cohort that will be accommodated on-site.

“Retaining the existing use rights would provide flexibility to convert the building back to a Residential Care Facility in the future if needed,” it said.

Marto Farms is a vast, horticultural operation, stretching across two-thousand-acres of property and produces a variety of crops including seedless watermelons, zucchinis, macadamia nuts, and pumpkins.

“The re-purposing of the existing building to accommodate rural workers is considered a suitable development in this location.

“It would not adversely impact on the surrounding land uses and would improve accommodation options to attract and retain seasonal and short-term workforces that support the agriculture industry.

“The development is already connected to all necessary urban infrastructure and services and has a high level of access to the broader pedestrian and cycling networks to discourage the use of private car trips.

“Based on the assessment provided, it is considered that the proposal should be approved subject to reasonable and relevant conditions.

Marto Farms has lodged a development application with the Bundaberg Regional Council to build new farm worker accommodation and retain existing use rights for a residential care facility at a block of land in Norville.

The site is surrounded by a mixture of residential, community and commercial activities and is directly opposite Shalom College and the Endeavor Foundation Industries Business Centre, which are located to the west.

Externally, the building on site would remain unchanged, the staff report said.

“Given that the building would remain largely unchanged, it is proposed that the development permit would also allow for the existing use rights to be retained as a Residential Care Facility.

“This would provide flexibility to allow this building to revert back to a Residential Care Facility should it no longer be required to accommodate rural workers.

“The use would accommodate a total of 29 persons on-site. There is provision for a separate manager’s residence within the main building that has a floor area of 61.91m².”