Blueberry Crest farm approved by majority of councillors

A controversial farm development north of Toowoomba has been passed by councillors, after multiple council enforcement notices, and construction beginning months before the development application was even lodged.

Toowoomba Regional Council has approved a controversial 32ha blueberry farm to the city’s north after a lengthy grilling of council’s recommendations, neighbours, and the applicant at a Special Council Meeting on the 18 September, 2024.

During the meeting it was revealed council had issued the developer with a show cause order and three enforcement notices, as satellite images show clearing and construction of the farm starting months before a development application was even lodged to council.

The illegal clearing of mapped koala habitat on the land attracted a $14,375 fine from the Queensland Department of Environment in July 2024.

Addressing council on behalf of applicant Blueberry Crest, EnviroAg primary consultant Simon Lott introduced his qualifications as being a founding director of the Condamine Alliance.

Mr Lott described the development as a “misadventure” and “agitation” after he openly told the council there was an issue with compliance.

“Things have not been done properly, and the blueberry farm is remorseful, absolutely,” he said.

“The second reason is agitation, I take the point there were five submitters up until a few weeks ago and now there’s 74.”

Blueberry Crest has been fined almost $15,000 for clearing koala habitat without prior approval. Picture taken on 19 November 2023. (supplied)

He told the council he was open to debate but “let’s use fact, not fake news”.

He described the development as a “misadventure”, and “in any other scenario would be called vanilla” except that it was called in by compliance.

The “misadventure” was because the rural producer “believed there was not a great need for compliance or approvals”, as it was not uncommon in the 1980s and 1990s to build sheds without need approval in some jurisdictions, he said.

He said he was “very, very confident” that it can be “absolutely” fixed and compliance achieved and that the problems of erosion, which were addressed during the meeting, were because “construction was interrupted”.

“That was a negative outcome of compliance,” Mr Lott said.

The landholder of Blueberry Crest has been fined almost $15,000 for intentionally removing mapped koala habitat. It comes as the development application is scheduled for a Special Council meeting on September 18, 2024. August 21, 2024. Picture: Christine Schindler

Mayor Geoff McDonald voted for the approval with the “hope” the conditions heard in council could be achieved.

Councillors Edwina Farquhar, Gary Gardner, Trevor Manteufel, Tim McMahon, James O’Shea, Kerry Shine and Melissa Taylor voted with him.

Deputy Mayor Rebecca Vonhoff voted against the approval, looking for assurance, but was unable to “put confidence” in the “veracity, and the truth and the accuracy of the information” presented to council.

Councillor Bill Cahill also voted against the approval.

Neighbouring property owner Geoff Hickson, who was present with other residents described the meeting as “laughable”, and said he was disappointed that only two councillors voted against the approval.

The developer was contacted for comment.