Top Mackay and Whitsundays developments to watch in 2024
From new fast food drive-throughs to massive state renewable energy projects, these are some of the proposed developments in Mackay and the Whitsundays you should take notice of.
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From a small town’s very first fast food drive-through to a State Development Area pursuing biofuel made from sugarcane, here are 17 of the projects we’re following in 2024.
Northern Beaches Hub
Architectural renders for the more than $25m Northern Beaches Community Hub were released in November as the Mackay Regional Council opens tenders for the first stage of construction.
Stage 1A includes a covered outdoors multipurpose court, a nature play area with “Burkey the Turkey’s” footprints and a giant “Broc the Crocodile” alongside picnic tables and a kitchenette.
A cafe with its own bar is also planned for Stage 1B alongside a modern library with meeting rooms, community rooms, and an acoustic workshop.
An attached aquatics facility and pool is also on the cards for Stage 2, but is yet to be confirmed.
State Development Areas and Cauldron BioFutures
A bold plan to turn North Queensland’s sugarcane into green jet fuel could generate “billions” as Rosella and Racecourse were named State Development Areas.
Then-deputy premier Steven Miles said Mackay had “all of the ingredients” to develop sustainable aviation fuels, biomanufacturing, and renewable energy here in Australia.
“Right now, global processors are looking to buy our feedstock and … process it in their own countries,” Mr Miles said at the Racecourse Mill in August.
“We want to see that value add, and those jobs created here in Queensland.”
The SDA announcements followed the $300m BioFutures Hub proposed by Cauldron, which is building a precision fermentation facility at Racecourse Mill.
Cape Hillsborough Nature Retreat
The beachside resort made famous by its iconic sunrise wallaby experience is getting a $28m renovation a year after being purchased by NRMA Parks and Resorts.
Cape Hillsborough’s upgrade will create up to 44 local jobs, and once complete could attract each year an extra 29,000 visitors into the Mackay region and $3m into its economy.
“We’re excited to be working on a considered, reinvigorated accommodation offering that will include tent and pod accommodation on the foreshore, new cabins and upgrades to the pool and landscape,” NRMA Parks and Resorts CEO Paul Davies said.
Pioneer Burdekin Pumped Hydro
The largest pumped hydro scheme in the world, proposed for 75km west of Mackay, promises more than 2000 jobs during construction, but controversy has followed the renewables project.
Yet fears about the project’s damage to the animals and ecosystems in and around Eungella National Park have fuelled a vocal opposition.
It was recently revealed the hydro plant would require 50 established homes to be either relocated or destroyed, with $21,689,849 already spent buying 29 properties in the Eungella district.
Check out our 50 questions and answers about the project so far.
Bowen Jetty
Constructed in 1867, the Bowen Jetty or Bowen Wharf was part of the first ports in North Queensland and is now in line for a $50m makeover.
The state government announced millions from coal royalties would go into repairing the wharf in its 2023-2024 budget, as the landmark’s age has begun to show.
Yet as the jetty is listed on the Whitsunday heritage register there have been protests from the community against simply replacing it, instead hoping refurbishment will preserve its history.
Pioneer Valley Mountain Bike Trails
Following seven years of planning, an extensive mountain bike trail network is being carved out as a new star attraction in the Pioneer Valley.
Thrill-seekers can already test their skills on the Finch Hatton pump track, which was officially opened to the public on December 21.
A further 26 trails over 100km long are being built and are expected to draw an additional 31,000 annual visitors, $18.1m in visitor spending, and more than 110 jobs.
Councillor Justin Englert, who has backed the project since inception, said it was “the most significant economic opportunity” in Mackay over the past “couple of decades”.
Finch Hatton Outdoor Tourism Hub
As the mountain biking trails are built, a $6.5m outdoor tourism hub has been approved to cater to the adventurers that will be heading to the Pioneer Valley.
Developer Michael Harris said Finch Hatton was a “rare” tourism gem, with his hub designed to house and cater to mountain bikers, anglers, and more drawn to the gorgeous valley.
Located an hour’s drive west from Mackay, the project is just streets away from the Finch Hatton pump track and would offer guides for tours including mountain biking, fishing, as well as hiking.
ALDI
There’s great excitement as ALDI moves on its plans to build supermarkets in Mackay and the Whitsundays.
Construction has begun at the corner of Beaconsfield Road East and Superior Boulevard in Andergrove, after several months of delay.
And a recent development application proposes another on Shute Harbour Road in Cannonvale.
North Queensland got its very first store when a crowd of hundreds excitedly lined up for ALDI’s grand opening at Willows Shopping Centre in Townsville, with one man lining up for five hours for a vacuum cleaner.
Seaforth Esplanade
The togs were on and the sun was shining when the community gathered in September to celebrate the official opening of the $7.1m redevelopment of the Seaforth Esplanade.
“The new recreation hub features exciting new playground facilities that cater to a variety of age groups and an aquatic themed all-abilities splashpad has replaced the old wading pool,” Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson said.
The redevelopment also included wheelchair and ambulant accessible toilet facilities, as well as a new barbecue and picnic area.
Sarina Beach Eco Village
The Sarina Beach Eco Village project is proposing to build hundreds of new homes, short-term accommodation, eco-tourism venues, and retail.
The development has been in the works since the late 2010s and is led by the Brooks family, with 160 lots planned as residential areas with 10ha set aside for nature parks and green spaces.
Documents show the project would likely require building public transport to Sarina Beach, which is not currently serviced by buses.
Whitsunday Skyway
The project has been on the cards since Cyclone Debbie, and if approved the Whitsunday Skyway would provide a gondola cableway from the centre of Airlie Beach to the summit of a 430m-high hilltop in Conway National Park.
Australian Adventure Tourism group, which operates Magnums Unique Accommodation, advertise the proposal as an “exciting new tourism experience” that would become a “must do” in the Whitsundays.
Childcare centres
There have been a host of development applications to build childcare centres across the Mackay region, with more than a dozen proposed or being developed.
One of Mackay’s oldest residential suburbs, West Mackay, has three sites pegged out for new centres.
Others dot across the region from Sarina to Blacks Beach to Moranbah, see our full list for all the details.
Lake Proserpine Camping Ground
The popular lake boasts metre-long barramundi and is now receiving a major camping ground upgrade.
Lake Proserpine, just a half-hour from the North Queensland town, has been a popular camping and fishing destination for several years.
The Whitsunday Regional Council will build cabins, BBQs, fire pits, manager’s quarters and a playground, with a development application stating the current 120 unpowered camp sites will be increased to nearly 200.
Guzman y Gomez
Taco-lovers will be pleased to hear Guzman y Gomez has been green-lit for its first Mackay drive through.
The franchise is proposed in the Mount Pleasant Centre and metres from the Bruce Highway and a stone’s throw from the existing KFC, the Mackay GYG store will be where founder and CEO Steven Marks said it should be “so easy to access”.
Development documents state the new franchise will be open 24/7 with a dual lane drive-through containing 14 cars at any one time.
Sarina McDonald’s
The company behind the golden arches has submitted plans for what would be Sarina’s first ever drive-through, right on the Bruce Highway.
Documents submitted to Mackay Regional Council in November state its contemporary design is part of a national rollout for McDonald’s restaurants.
A development application prepared by Urbis notes that the venture would be the first drive-through in the township, and that Sarina was chosen as a rural location on a key transport route.
Stone Island Resort and Cable Car
A new cable-car attraction is among plans for Stone Island resort, with the multimillion-dollar works set to bring a jobs and tourism boom to the region.
Documents lodged to the council state the aerial tramway would “facilitate rapid movement of guests” and “distinguish” Stone Island from the 73 other Whitsunday region islands that were “generally only accessible by boat or air”.
If approved, the cable car project would unlock a new travel option for tourists hoping to stay at one of the 18 new detached resort villas proposed as an extension to the Stone Island Resort.
Mackay Airport workers accommodation
An ambitious proposal is hoping to make a dent in the crippling rental and workforce accommodation shortage that is ballooning the number of job vacancies in Mackay.
Mackay Airport is now seeking expressions of interest from qualified groups keen to build a major accommodation precinct to ease the critical strain on workforce accommodation options.
The concept derives from the Greater Whitsunday Housing Summit in August which pulled together developers, mayors, architects and community advocates to workshop how to stymie rising homelessness rates.
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