Gympie council to give old Jane St caravan park land to state

The long-term future of Gympie’s one-time caravan park, which was closed in 2020 then co-opted by the state government to house flood victims, has been revealed at last.

The long-term future of Gympie’s one-time caravan park, controversially shut in 2020 following a prolonged court battle before being temporarily co-opted by the state government for other purposes, has been revealed at last.

Hopes that Gympie’s one-time caravan park near the city centre will once again host tourists have been sent packing, with the site to be taken over by the state government for emergency housing.

Gympie Regional Council voted unanimously to transfer the block in at Jane St, about 2km north of the CBD, to the government in the coming years.

The government’s two-year lease has been renewed for another decade, with the long-term transfer to happen in this time.

The block served as the city’s central caravan park until 2021.

It was shut by the council following a prolonged court battle with the park’s management over its failure to upgrade the site.

The council shut the park once it took over.

It was transformed into emergency housing in early 2022 following the trio of devastating floods across the region, which inundated hundreds of homes.

The closed caravan park was taken over by the state government in 2022 for emergency housing for flood victims. Gympie Regional Council is now extending the lease sto the state govt for another 10 years, and planning to transfer the block entirely into the hands of the government within those 10 years.

A report tabled at Wednesday’s meeting noted the state government had established 34 homes at the site, including eight tiny homes.

Along with seeking the decade-long lease extension, they wish to also take over ownership of the land in the future, it stated.

The transfer was intended to be done in the first few years of the new lease.

The report says the state government is “best placed” to manage the housing in the future.

Councillor Bruce Devereaux said it might be “tempting” to take the caravan park back now it had new infrastructure installed but “I don‘t think it’s the right thing to do”.

Dan Stewart welcomed the work to transform it from a “decrepit” caravan park “to being a place that’s really nice for people to live in”.

“The Jane St caravan park was a minefield of asbestos, electrical and plumbing issues and other safety issues for residents there,” Mayor Glen Hartwig said.

“I think this is a wonderful outcome”.