Mackay council discuss Belinda Hassan, homes on Nebo Rd, weddings at Note Park

Mackay council is meeting to decide the fate of two popular community petitions, when a sitting councillor will take leave and which developments are up to scratch.

Wedding venues, new homes and more in this months council preview.

The Mackay regional council August ordinary meeting has approved the leave period for one councillor, reviewed development applications and determined the fate of a Homebush wedding venue.

Councillor Belinda Hassan was granted a formal leave of absence from her duties on the Mackay regional council from September 20.

This comes after Ms Hassan resigned her position of deputy mayor following her nomination as Labor candidate for the state seat of Mackay.

The Local Government Act requires Ms Hassan take unpaid leave for the duration of the election period which is set to commence October 1.

Ms Hassan will be required to return council equipment, including her laptop, and have her contract details removed from the council website by September 20.

According to the agenda, council is likely to reject the petitions for a new bus stop at Primavera Blvd and a boom gate at the Eimeo Surf Lifesaving Club carpark.

Belinda Hassan has requested unpaid leave from September 20 in order to run for the state seat of Mackay as the Labor candidate. Photo: Fergus Gregg

Ms Hassan's leave will last until the conclusion of the election.

She will either return to her duties or automatically resign in favour of her duties at state parliament.

Four new homes on Nebo Rd

Four new homes have been approved for development on Nebo Rd.

Four one-storey, three bedroom units are coming to West Mackay.

The new development began with a subdivision of the lot at 269 Nebo Rd into four smaller plots where three-bedroom, self-contained units are slated for construction.

Each will be equipped with kitchen, dining room, living room, garage, two bathrooms, walk-in wardrobe and laundry.

The units will be built around a common space leading to a shared driveway.

Development will cost $1.9 million, will generate seven full time jobs and is expected to have a total economic impact on the region of almost $4m, according to the application.

After 8 years of performing weddings and farm tours, Note Park Grazing Co have gone to council for approval.

Wedding venue asks council to say ‘I do’

Note Park, a Homebush farm, agritourism and wedding venue, is seeking official permission from council to host functions and farm tours.

Founded in 2013, the active farm has been hosting approximately 20 events each year including weddings.

After receiving an anonymous complaint in 2023, council determined Note Park had not sought the appropriate approvals to continue hosting their functions.

Subsequently, the Note Park Grazing Company has lodged an official application to designate the property a function facility on the condition they limit functions to 52 a year and no more than two night-time functions a week between the hours of 9am and 12am.

Note Park has an approved food business licence for a home-based kitchen which allows limited food handling for the function centre within the existing dwelling house.

Council is expected to approve this application on the condition Note Park upgrade its on-site waste treatment system to accommodate for up to 200 guests and construct a bitumen sealed rural access for access to Barrie Lane.

The state government are providing $5 million in funds for the Future Industries Hub. Photo: Fergus Gregg

Resources Centre of Excellence stage two

Council will vote on whether Fergus Builders will be awarded the tender for construction of the Resources Centre of Excellence second stage.

The next step in the Resources Centre of Excellence will see the construction of the Future Industries Hub which includes a new administration block, space for an industrial client to take up tenancy and the critical mineral processing Flexilab.

The project is expected to cost council $5.775 million against an allocated budget of $5.2 million.

Despite the state government kicking in $5 million to help fund the Flexilab, council will again petition both state and federal government for additional funds to cover the cost of construction and to go toward a second space for industrial tenancy and rear access.

It is expected the construction tender will be awarded to Fergus Builders who were determined to provide “better value for money for the Mackay Regional Council”.