Gold Coast engineer, planner, developer behind Sanctuary Cove, Hope Island, has died at 84

A veteran engineer, planner and developer, whose work helped to shape the skyline and suburbs of the Gold Coast, has died.

Engineer Geoff Burchill, whose work helped to shape the skyline and suburbs of the Gold Coast, has died aged 84.

The engineer, master planner and developer was born in Brisbane on March 22, 1938, and his life’s work would see the creation of iconic resort projects including Sanctuary Cove, Palm Meadows, Allisee at Hollywell and Riverlink Estate.

Mr Burchill was instrumental in the planning of Robina and Oxenford, was master planner for Royal Pines Resort and managed the development of Shinko Australia’s $500m Hope Island Resort project from 1988.

“This is an evolutionary advance on Sanctuary Cove,’’ Mr Burchill told media at the time.

“The project is similar to Sanctuary Cove, but will have a different atmosphere.

“I would say this resort will be a lot more tranquil.”

Tony Burchill described his father as a “futurist and a visionary”.

“He put together futuristic schemes that didn’t always get up, like a tunnel through Surfers Paradise, which would have made a big difference to the city,” he said.

Master planner Geoff Burchill. Photo: Simon Young

A lot of Mr Burchill’s ideas did get up, and they did change the city.

In creating Hope Island, Mr Burchill was crucial to the development of Helensvale Golf Club, of which he was a former president, and his other director roles included stints at Surfers Paradise Golf Club and as founding member of the Gold Coast Development Association.

Mr Burchill didn’t just create resort developments - he was also heavily involved in the establishment of All Saints Anglican School and sat on its board for more than 30 years.

Tony Burchill said it was among his father’s proudest achievements.

“I have three daughters and I didn’t have a say in where they’d go to school,” he laughed.

“He enrolled them himself.”

Mr Burchill was also a former chairman of Sea FM, the city’s first FM radio company, having chaired the consortium which won the coveted radio licence.

In 2005, Mr Burchill expanded his resume to “author”, penning Passion, Power and Prejudice, which he described as an “expose of the almost magical development of the Gold Coast” and featuring a foreword by demographer Bernard Salt.

The book was launched by Tourism Queensland Chairman Terry Jackman and then Gold Coast Mayor the late Ron Clark, who marked the occasion by accidentally falling off the back of the stage.

Learning of Mr Burchill’s passing, Mr Jackman described him as “a very good Gold Coaster”.

“He was mad about the Gold Coast and one of the guys back then who did a lot to develop what we’ve got today,” Mr Jackman said.

Geoff Burchill with Chairman of Tourism Queensland Terry Jackman launching "Passion, Power & Prejudice" in 2005. Picture: Paul Riley

Author Geoff Burchill with his book Passion Power and Prejudice.

The 680-page book included all the big names – along with interesting anecdotes – involved in the development of the Gold Coast such as Russ Hinze, Joh Bjelke-Petersen, Bruce Small, Keith Williams, Jim Raptis, Brian Ray and Christopher Skase.

As well as landmark projects on the Gold Coast, Mr Burchill’s work spread to Cairns, Townsville, the Sunshine Coast, Burnett Region; New Zealand, Japan and South-East Asia, where he put to use his self-described “speciality for risk management of the cycles that affect major resort projects”.

Daughter Susan Burchill said while her father was highly driven by work, his family saw a softer side to the former boy scout, who loved the outdoors.

“His work and his family were the two most important things in his life,” she said.

“He was very generous and he took us on amazing holidays.”

Geoff Burchill, who master planned the Royal Pines Resort, Ashmore.

In his later years, the long-time Nerang local was an avid Gold Coast Bulletin letter writer, regularly sharing his views and expertise on development and planning issues, decrying a lack of community consultation, and voicing his support or opposition to various city projects.

In 2015, Mr Burchill gained approval for what would have been Nerang’s first high-rise apartment development – five buildings up to 12 levels on a 2.55ha family-owned site, close to the Nerang train station.

However, he bowed out of the project this year, selling the property to over-50s resort developer GemLife and buying a Main Beach apartment, where he planned a beachside retirement with wife Kay.

Mr Burchill, who passed away on Monday night after an illness, is survived by Kay, son Tony, daughters Susan and Kelly and three grandaughters.

A service for friends and family will be held at All Saints Anglican School chapel at 1pm on Monday.