Maleny Country Estate submits renovation plans to council

A popular Sunshine Coast hinterland wedding venue, established in the 80s, could soon receive a makeover as the owners look to offer guests more function space. See what they have planned.

Maleny Country Estate.

Couples looking to host their wedding at a long standing hinterland venue may soon have more outdoor options and upgraded facilities for their big day after the 75ha estate proposed a major renovation.

The Maleny Country Estate, a 75ha property west of Maleny in Reesville, currently features 15 accommodation cabins, chapel, function building with a 40-seat restaurant and recreational facilities.

The resort, owned by Pelco Qld Pty Ltd, first opened to guests in the 1980s as a rural resort before it began hosting weddings in the 1990s.

The development application submitted to the Sunshine Coast Council seeks approval for building renovations to a number of the facilities within the property, including the restaurant, guesthouse, games room and function building.

A previous wedding held at the Maleny Country Estate.

The application documents state the renovations would need to be completed in order for the rural resort to reach a contemporary resort standard.

“The proposed building renovation work includes not only aesthetic upgrades, but also a redistribution or floor space and activities within the affected buildings to achieve improved workflow, functionality and efficiency,” the application stated.

“Associated renovations and upgrades to the existing guesthouse/restaurant, games room and function building ... will result in an increase of 45.5 m2 in gross floor area.”

Proposed marquee areas for the Maleny Country Estate.

The application also seeks approval to host weddings in two new separate marquee areas on the property’s lawns to “provide customers with a choice of location”.

“Importantly, only one function or wedding will occur on the site at any single time, regardless of whether the function or wedding is conducted beneath a marquee on an outdoor lawn area, or within the function building,” they said.

If the proposal to expand the property’s function space to include the new marquee spaces is approved, the application further seeks to have the current restrictions on where alcohol can be consumed removed.

“The Council opposed the issue of the liquor licence on the grounds that the existing Town Planning Consent Permit for the Rural Resort does not allegedly provide authority for the owner to conduct functions beneath a marquee on a lawn area, outside of the existing function building,” the application stated.