Mini golf, major worry

A Granite Belt business is concerned for its future with Southern Downs Regional Council proposing to build a similar venture in opposition.

FUTURE CONCERNS: Craig and Sandra Williams from the Granite Belt Maze and Mini Golf. Picture: Matthew Purcell

A GRANITE Belt business is concerned for its future with Southern Downs Regional Council proposing to build a similar venture in opposition.

The Summit's Granite Belt Maze owners Craig and Sandra Williams are fearing for their future, with the council budgeting $300,000 to build a mini-golf facility in Warwick.

They run nine holes of mini golf at their maze and say they won't be able to compete if it goes ahead.

"I've got no problem with the council spending the money to put some new infrastructure in for the youth of the region but it could be anything. Why does it have to be mini golf that they approved?” Mr Williams said.

"My beef is, we've already got mini golf here and we're ratepayers in the region. We're going to be paying them to set something up against us and be assisting them to pay their staff and to maintain it.

"If they said we were going to set up a big motel or a winery... what do you think would happen in this town? There'd be blood on the streets.”

The council proposal has been on the table in the past, but never progressed.

"If they think they're going to do this and it won't affect us because we're in a different town, well they're wrong. It's going to seriously impact us if they do it,” Mr Williams said.

Their venture has been running since 2006, having received council approval back in 1999. They waited several years for their hedge maze to grow before opening, only for it to be wiped out in the 2011 floods.

Mrs Williams said they regularly get customers from Warwick, including schools that come for day trips.

The pair are worried that will all cease if a Warwick facility gets the green light.

"We're going to be assisting them to send us broke.”

They plan to investigate the legalities, with Mr Williams suggesting it could potentially be illegal for the council to compete with an already existing business pursuant to the Local Government Act 2009.

The council was approached for comment but opted not to say anything at this point in time.