Amamoor campsite, Nolan Meats housing wait for Gympie council approval
A 360-lot campground and private accommodation for almost 100 workers at one of Gympie’s largest businesses are among more than a dozen developments still waiting for a final decision from the council’s planning department. See what else is in the pipeline.
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A 360-lot campground and accommodation for almost 100 workers at Nolan Meats are among more than a dozen projects still sitting in the pipeline waiting for Gympie Regional Council approval.
Millions of dollars of developers projects remain waiting for a decision from the council’s planning department, which is working through a huge influx of applications.
From January 1 to May 7 the council’s planning website show 83 applications have been lodged so far in 2022, the most in this period for at least five years.
There are a range of reasons which can impact how long it takes for the council to decide whether to accept or a reject a proposal.
These including requests for more information, state government regulations and assessment, or applications being incorrectly submitted in the first instance.
Here are the major projects still waiting to find out their fate.
Amamoor RV, camping park
There are three campground proposals waiting for a decision, but none are bigger than this plan for 360 lot park at Amamoor.
Property Developer Alan Holliday confirmed the plan was to create a new camping and caravan location on the block, only 15 minutes out from Gympie at the corner of the Mary Valley Link Rd and Dobson Rd.
The 35.35ha property will offer 250 RV spots and 100 camping sites.
Tourist park, subdivision plans at Wallu
A vacant 21ha block near Tin Can Bay at Wallu has been earmarked as the potential home for a new project which includes a 21-cabin tourist park, service station, and 24-lot residential subdivision.
The west Brisbane-based Deol Group has applied to Gympie Regional Council for approval of the proposal, which will sit on the block at the intersection of Tin Can Bay and Maryborough Cooloola roads.
The company bought the land in April 2020 for $750,000.
Cooloola Cove medical centre
Medical services at Cooloola Cove would get a shot in the arm with this plan to build a medical centre in the booming coastal town.
Landowner Andrew Spall and planning company Plansmart are seeking approval to build the centre on an 1134sq m block on the southern side of Nautilus Drive, opposite the shopping centre.
Nolan Meats’ workers accommodation
The director of iconic Gympie business Nolan Meats has warned Australian companies could disappear unless an urgent fix is found as it faces an employment climate unlike anything seen in its 63-year history – and this is part of its solution.
Director Terry Nolan’s warning comes as part of a proposal to build a 98-room workforce accommodation site near the meatworks’ East Deep Creek factory amid concerns it could be forced to shut if it fails to boost its slumping workforce.
Lawrence St mental healthcare expansion
Mental health care will get a boost if plans to expand the Gympie Health Hub at the corner of Lawrence St and Horseshoe Bend are given the go ahead by the council.
Under the plans lodged by Ross and Daphne Davies, a split-level building will be constructed to the north of the existing hub, opening the door to more services.
A weatherboard house sitting on the block of land earmarked for the expansion will be removed.
Imbil supermarket
Supermarket competition could be coming to the Mary Valley with plans unveiled for a new shop directly opposite Imbil’s Friendly Grocer.
Developer Kingshill Pty Ltd has lodged an application to build the 818m sq supermarket and two other shops on a vacant block near the corner of Yabba Rd and Elizabeth St.
The supermarket is proposed to be joined by a smaller 100m sq store, possibly a bottle shop, and a 230m sq shop or food outlet.
Imbil restaurants
A vacant block of land in the middle of Imbil has been flagged as the future home of outdoor dining.
Brisbane-based developer Fredsville Pty Ltd has lodged an application with Gympie Regional Council to build two small restaurants on the empty property at the corner of Yabba and Diggins Rd.
The company bought the block in July, 2021 for $180,000, Corelogic’s RP Data records show.
Gunalda campgrounds
Gunalda’s tourism offerings may soon expand with plans for a 37-site campground complete with playgrounds, bicycle track and animal petting farm.
Land owner Greg Jenkins has asked for permission to open the campgrounds on a 16ha block at Neerdie Rd.
A BMX course and farm animal petting zoo are among key features of the proposed park, but far from the only ones.
Gympie Uniting Church cafe
A surprise new development has been pitched for the Gympie Surface Hill Uniting Church at its Channon St property.
The Trustee for the D and C Bernard Self Managed Super Fund wants to renovate the inside of the old church hall building and the Surface Hill Uniting Church, transforming them into a dining experience capable of running seven days a week.
Changes include installing mens’, women‘s’, and unisex toilets inside the hall and converting the existing stage and hall space into a kitchen and small dining area.
Extension to Tom Grady’s rural merchandise shop
Rural business stalwart Tom Grady’s footprint in Gympie is likely to expand further with plans unveiled to add to his prosperous rural merchandise store on Tozer St, just up the road from the Mary Valley Rattler.
The new application includes construction a new building with an office and drive through service on the 1.5ha block.
More parking spaces in a covered area will be included as part of the expansion.
If approved it will the latest addition to the rural services offered at the property, which served as a butter factory from 1925 to 1978 until that part of the factory was shut down.
New service station for Cooloola Cove
The owners of a petrol station widely known by Gympie region motorists as one of the cheapest place to fuel up have proposed a similar development on the Cooloola Coast.
Sunstate Petroleum, which owns a number of Liberty service stations, including Liberty Monkland, lodged its development application in March 2022.
Liberty Monkland owner Major Singh was hailed a local hero during the February floods, after he turned the service station into a safe haven for about 300 stranded motorists on the Bruce Highway.
New drive through restaurant at Bruce Highway
A busy string of cafes and takeaway stores on the Bruce Highway near Central Shopping Centre and McDonald’s is in line for a major redevelopment, with plans to transform five of the six shops into a sleek new fast food outlet.
Developer Cylinder Cove has asked Gympie Regional Council for approval to redevelop the six shop building opposite the shopping centre into a single outlet complete with a drive through lane and outdoor dining area.
The application says a tenant has been secured for the new outlet, but does not name them.
Excelsior Rd dental clinic
A new medical centre given the tick of approval by the council may soon be joined by a team of dentists only a few doors down the road.
The developer, Optima Healthcare Group, has lodged plans for the centre, which if approved will be built on land two blocks presently occupied by two timber houses only a few hundred metres away from Gympie Central Shopping Centre.
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