Brothers behind plans for Coast glamping tourist park

A sand extraction pit nestled in Sunshine Coast bushland is poised to become a huge family glamping, camping and caravanning tourist park.

Brothers Peter and John Shadforth have lodged an impact-assessable development application for a tourist park at the site of their sand extraction business in Tanawha.

A SAND extraction pit nestled in Sunshine Coast bushland is poised to become a huge family glamping, camping and caravanning tourist park complete with a recreational dam.

At 73 and 76, Peter an John Shadforth show no signs of slowing down after the semi-retired brothers stopped pumping sand from the 30-year-old family-run quarry, set back from the Bruce Highway off Sippy Creek Rd, Tanawha.

With rehabilitation under way, Peter and John's respective companies, Riversleigh Super Pty Ltd and Habania Pty Limited, have lodged an impact-assessable development application to the Sunshine Coast Council.

Peter Shadforth said they had built a "glorified shed” a few years back and enjoyed the occasional camp-out with friends on what he describes as a beautiful block secluded from neighbouring properties.

He said the pair now hope to open the experience to the public and add to the Coast's affordable accommodation as the region's caravan park options have declined in recent years.

Brothers Peter and John Shadforth have lodged an impact-assessable development application for a tourist park at the site of their sand extraction business in Tanawha.

The application includes 461 short-stay accommodation sites made up of 306 general sites, 125 recreational vehicle sites and 30 glamping sites, which Mr Shadforth envisioned to be cabins.

A communal recreation building adjacent to the dam would include a children's playground, and Mr Shadforth said the modern facility would centre on family entertainment.

The dam would be open for recreational use, but restricted to non-motorised vehicles.

The site is centrally located in close driving distance to the Coast's major tourist attractions including Aussie World, Australia Zoo and the Big Pineapple, with easy access north and south on the Bruce Highway.

The subject site spans 41.95ha surrounded by a 30m to 100m-wide bushland buffer, and is situated behind the Sunshine Coast Animal Rescue Service.

Mr Shadforth planned to meet neighbours today to discuss plans and understands there are still hoops to jump through before the plan becomes reality.

Council noted there were no fundamental concerns with the proposed use from a strategic planning perspective during a pre-lodgement meeting in May last year.

Rehabilitation is expected to take up to three years, and Mr Shadforth said he would then decide whether the family companies would develop the site or open it up to a third party.

Mr Shadforth co-developed Parklakes in Bli Bli, but said the potential Tanawha park was separate to the civil contracting business which helped make the family name well-known across the Coast.