Palmer Coolum Resort’s $100m refurbishment underway on Sunshine Coast

After villas went to wrack and ruin, the refurbishment of the Palmer Coolum Resort is well under way but a proposed car museum has hit a speed bump. Read the latest here.

Work is well under way on a $100m refurbishment at a Sunshine Coast resort that has been unused and abandoned for years.

But a proposed car museum at the Palmer Coolum Resort has already hit a speed bump after documents revealed a proper application was not made to the Sunshine Coast Council.

Former federal MP Clive Palmer bought the Yaroomba resort, previously the Hyatt Regency Coolum Resort, in 2011.

After taking over the venue that hosted 11 PGA golf tournaments and events like the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the mining magnate closed the resort in 2015 and put shareholders of 144 villas in limbo.

Six hundred jobs were lost during the closure.

In 2021 Mr Palmer announced a $100m refurbishment to the resort that would include replicas of the Wonders of the World including a full-size Trevi Fountain.

Work is well underway to refurbish the Palmer Coolum resort.

More than 300 studio, two, and three-bedroom apartments would be completely refurbished in the upgrade, which would also feature seven restaurants and the renovation of the village square.

Mr Palmer said at the time that 200 tradespeople and construction staff would work on the project.

A resort spokesman said the work was “progressing very well” and a decision was made during Covid-19 to open the resort when all stages were completed.

He did not answer questions about the expected completion date and the number of people living and working on-site.

Last Tuesday, workers were seen tearing up pavers on the Warrack St side of the resort and land was also cleared on that side.

Workers were seen tearing up pavers at the Palmer Coolum Resort.

Debris and bathtubs were stacked at another entrance.

Workers were moving in and out of villas, carrying debris, while other resort buildings had received a fresh coat of paint.

Clive Palmer at the United Australia Party's National Launch at the Palmer Coolum Resort in 2022. Picture: Brad Fleet

In August 2022, plans were also submitted to the council for a car museum and a multi-level car park at the resort.

Documents show that on September 8 last year, the council deemed the application to “have not been made” because it required a number of actions including submitting town planning, engineering and other reports.

Council documents show some of the reports were filed and a request for an extension was denied.

A resort spokesman has been contacted for a response.