Councillors vote to stop Austinvilla hosting weddings

Gold Coast councillors have voted unanimously to stop weddings taking place at a controversial hinterland venue.

The entrance to Austinvilla Estate.

Councillors have voted to stop Austinvilla Estate hosting weddings in the Gold Coast hinterland.

The vote, which supported an officer’s recommendation, was unanimous when taken just after 4pm at a full council meeting today.

The operators said they had been told to put in a material change of use application and that the pre-existing approval was outdated.

The owners had argued the Austinville venue was providing huge economic benefits to the hinterland, and their clients were strong supporters.

But many residents had lodged complaints to council. Several have also contacted The Bulletin about noise and traffic concerns.

Cr Glenn Tozer, in seeking to clarify some of his recent responses in The Bulletin, told councillors today he had received complaints about the venue since 2015.

“In fact, the first complaint was made in August 2015 and since that time several dozen complaints have been made at various times about various alleged noncompliance issues, by a variety of residents who live in and around the subject property,” he said.

Treehouse accommodation at Austinvilla Estate, Austinville, Gold Coast

SUBSCRIBE TO THE BULLETIN FOR $1 A WEEK FOR THE FIRST 12 WEEKS

Cr Tozer also referred to comments made by joint owner Noel Mewett who said: “He hasn’t got the guts – we’ve asked him out several times, come out and have a look.”

“This implies I have not been on-site. This is false. I visited the venue at the invitation of the applicant on 10 December 2015,” Cr Tozer said.

“In an email of 30 November 2015, the applicant wrote to me stating that the business had ‘been abandoned by a multinational Malaysian group for almost 15 years’ and invited me to inspect the site.

“At this time I informed the applicant that I had also previously visited the venue between 2005 and 2009 – when it was known as Coolalinga Lodge – before I was elected as councillor, at a time when a representative of the previous owner informed me that the business previously operating there had ceased to operate.

“It would also be fair to say that I have received several written complaints and other correspondence favouring the officers’ recommendation since the EPE committee considered the matter.”

The joint owners have previously indicated that if the application was rejected they would consider their legal options.