Master plan about giving investors options so they invest

A CRUISE terminal, theme park or high-rise apartment buildings would help attract businesses to the Urangan end of town, according to Mayor Gerard O’Connell.

A CRUISE terminal, theme park or high-rise apartment buildings would help attract businesses to the Urangan end of town, according to Mayor Gerard O'Connell.

The extravagant options were included in the Urangan Boat Harbour master plan announced earlier this week.

As one of his "election commitments" to develop the under-utilised harbour precinct, Cr O'Connell said the master plan was about keeping options for developers open in the hope they'd invest in our region.

"If you're going to spend money and build something, build something that there's a fair chance that you'll attract a business," he said.

In a sign of optimism for the region, a cruise terminal is slated for development.

The Boat Club has also already floated plans for a $70 million investment into the area by building a multi-level residential complex, a 100-room hotel and a 1000-seat conference centre.

But the master plan isn't exciting all of the 11 councillors on Tavistock St.

Urangan representative George Seymour said he didn't anticipate the community would want the high-rise buildings in Hervey Bay.

"I think 20 storeys is too high. It's not how I think the community wants to see Hervey Bay developed," he said.

"People move here, they drove right past the Sunshine Coast and people don't want us to turn into a Gold Coast.

"But I think a cruise ship terminal in Hervey Bay would be beneficial and I'd be interested to see how that could possibly work," Cr Seymour said.

But before the public can have a say on the proposal for 20-storey buildings the Civil Aviation Safety Authority must tick off the plan.

Cr O'Connell hoped that would be done by next week.