FNQ pub baron Tom Hedley narrowly wins at marathon council meeting

It was a fighting finish with only a nose deciding the outcome of a marathon council meeting to decide if approval to build a pub car park on state rail land would be granted. SEE WHO WON

FAR North pub baron and developer Tom Hedley narrowly won a prolonged battle over a tiny parcel of land instrumental to his expansion plans at the Tolga Hotel.

Mr Hedley, fresh from a spend up on thoroughbreds at the Magic Millions March Yearling sale, fronted up at the Tablelands Regional Council meeting on Thursday to settle the matter, but the session ran out of time after his planner Matthew Andrejic had made his address.

Property developer and pub owner Tom Hedley added the Tolga Hotel to his regional pub portfolio – he owns and has refurbished the Carrington Hotel at Atherton. Picture: supplied

The issue of the 1479sq m parcel of land occupied the council for most of the three-hour meeting.

Mr Hedley sought to sublease the handkerchief-sized bit of land from council, which leases it from the state government.

But the land is part of the much-loved Rail Trail, and Tablelands cyclists were furious part of it would become part of the pub car park.

At the same time, Gail Stitcher of Tablelands Outdoor Recreation Association, who addressed the meeting, was keen to emphasise that cyclists did not drink tea after their outings – they went to the Tolga pub for a cold beer.

Developer and racehorse owner Tom Hedley at Cannon Park.

After an arduous debate, the motion to sublease the land passed 4:3 and Mr Hedley can proceed with a redevelopment that is partly aimed at directing pub-goers out the back rather than congregating on the road out the front.

Mayor Rod Marti said the council managed the rail trail, but did not own the land, but rail trails were big business nationwide among cyclists.

The Carrington Hotel in Atherton is owned by Tom Hedley. PICTURE: SUPPLIED

“We basically approved the expansion and it will certainly give the Tolga pub a whole facelift and make it even more popular than it already is,” Cr Marti said.

“It has come at a cost of part of the rail trail, and council deliberated long and hard over trying to make a decision.”

Mr Andrejic suggested council had been one-sided, leaning toward community groups who made more than 50 submissions, in its report.

“To be hit up like this after 18 months is very hard to swallow,” he said.

Ms Stitcher said the community was “sad and confused” and it was fair to say the applicant and the community were not getting on too well.

“But we are not anti-pub, anti-development,” she said.

Mr Hedley has a pub portfolio including the recently-acquired Imperial Tavern at Innisfail and the Carrington Hotel in Atherton.

Originally published as FNQ pub baron Tom Hedley narrowly wins at marathon council meeting