Historic Juliet St home to make way for Kool Beanz Academy in Mackay
A Gold Coast developer has explained the future of a 99-year-old home’s relocation to make way for a two-storey childcare centre. Take a sneak peek at the plans to replace the pre-war house.
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A near-century old home that has survived demolition plans will be moved to make way for a modern two-storey childcare centre in South Mackay.
But relocating the Novar homestead at 86 Juliet St has fuelled calls for stronger suburban heritage protections in Mackay.
Kool Beanz Academy has applied to build its state of the art centre at 86 Juliet St in South Mackay, opposite Harrup Park and close to family sporting complexes.
Developer and Kool Beanz managing director Bruce Coulson is adamant the existing restored home at the corner block – built in 1923 – will be relocated, not demolished, and has defended the site selection.
“When we set out, we were never going to destroy the house,” he said.
“We wanted to find someone who could buy the house, love the house, enjoy the house.
“The house is not being destroyed, it will be put to a site and loved and lived in again.”
The submitted plans will retain existing trees and incorporate them into the overall building amenity, something Mr Coulson said was typical across other Kool Beanz centres.
“If we were a typical developer, two things we wouldn’t worry about is the house and the trees,” he said.
“We’ve done a lot of developments and whenever we can, we keep the trees.
“We’re really a developer through default – we have to build our own childcare centres because we want to get the right end result.”
The South Mackay centre is one of a possible four Kool Beanz Academys opening in coming years across the region as part of an ambitious development plan for the company.
The centres would aim to provide specialised care and education for up to 50 children living with special needs, specifically Autism.
Mr Coulson tipped an apartment complex was on the company’s horizon, and he was in the market for a home himself.
“We looked at a range of areas,” he said.
“You’ve got to understand some of the best locations will be across from a state or primary school or within a sporting precinct.”
Juliet St, on its major thoroughfare to Mackay’s sporting precinct, fit the bill.
“You have also got to understand Mackay is starved on childcare,” he said.
“The rental rate is 0.6 per cent so no one can get a rental property.
“From memory there are 30 childcare centres … and a growing population; to me it all makes common sense.”
The development is code assessable, meaning it did not need to go to public notification for approval.
The home survived demolition plans in the mid 1980s when an indoor cricket centre was on the cards.
But that has not stopped objectors calling for historic homes to be protected and council to intervene in preserving the house at its existing site.
Pam Beaverson, objecting to the plans, said she bought the home in 1986 and set about restoring it after noting its “historical significance in the area”.
The Pratt family – early settlers to Mackay – once owned the home.
Mrs Beaverson said an 18-month restoration process returned the home to its former glory.
“As the Mackay community would, or should be, well aware that this house plays a major role in the early days of the town,” she said.
Historian Glen Hall said the 86 Juliet St home was likely the oldest residence in South Mackay, and blasted the lack of heritage protection for pre-1946 homes.
“Mackay is the only major city without heritage protections for homes,” he said.
“Rockhampton has a scheme, Cairns, Toowoomba, and Ipswich – Brisbane has the best – but there’s none in Mackay.”
Mr Hall claimed there had been council inaction “over the years”, resigning from his position on the heritage committee because of what he described as “no active encouragement” to preserve history.
“There are just no controls on preserving heritage homes in Mackay,” he said.
“What this developer is doing, anyone can do.”
Mr Hall said relocating the home risked damaging it, but also changed the amenity of the surrounding area.
“I’m not against development, but I am for level development – preserving history and progress,” he said.
Mayor Greg Williamson defended the council’s commitment to preserving, protecting, and enhancing the region’s character and heritage.
He said the region had 92 properties designated as Local Heritage Places under the Mackay Region Planning Scheme.
“In addition, more than 3000 properties fall within the Neighbourhood Character Overlay, covering three residential character areas,” he said.
“These are in West Mackay, East Mackay and South Mackay.”
Mr Williamson said the council had begun a review of its Local Heritage Register and Planning Scheme code.
He said the first action would be considered at Wednesday’s council meeting, with the adoption of a major planning scheme amendment.
“This includes an amendment to broaden the local heritage requirements.”
It relates to the Heritage and Neighbourhood Character Overlay assessment trigger for building work on a Local Heritage Place, excluding partial or full demolition works, which already require an impact assessment and public consultation.
The change makes building work on a Local Heritage Place code assessable – other than those that are already triggered as impact assessment – requiring a development application.
“This assessment will ensure that the impact of all building work on Local Heritage Places can be considered by council,” Mr Williamson said.
As a result, a general exemption certificate will also be implemented in accordance with the Queensland Heritage Act 1992 to clarify and allow that certain building work that is minor can be carried out without a development application, such as minor repairs, installing some new services, such as air conditioners, and painting.
Mr Williamson said the council was also finalising the appointment of a specialist heritage consultant to review the existing local heritage statements to make them more robust to improve the information considered as part of development applications.
“This will be followed by a research project to consider and prioritise the addition of further Local Heritage Places in the Mackay region in the next financial year and in subsequent years,” he said.
Mr Williamson said a decision on the Kool Beanz centre was due by May 23.
He said as an existing dwelling on the site was not a Local Heritage Place, the assessment had been bound to the proposed childcare centre only.
“That being said, the assessment has considered the childcare centre’s positive impact for the South Mackay area and, overall, the region’s growth and prosperity,” he said.
The Kool Beanz Academy will create 94 childcare positions and 30 jobs, with more expected when it establishes a training centre in Mackay.
“If we come to Mackay, we need to set up a business to support it,” he said.
“The big thing is we’re a family-owned and operated company, we’re hands-on, we will be buying a house in Mackay, we’re going to be building apartments in Mackay.”
Mr Coulson said Kool Beanz would cater for children of all abilities.
“It will have blended style care where Autistic children will be in that centre and get the opportunity to play and learn in that environment to enable them to be able to grow themselves.”
Kool Kids Training College, the second largest registered training organisation in Australia, already has a strong presence in the area, providing training and support for students studying in the early childhood education sector.
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