Mon Repos caravan park on the market

The State Government and Bundaberg council have failed to answer questions about the impact a development at Mon Repos could have on turtle nests after expressions of interest were welcomed for the sale of a site metres from protected turtle nesting areas.

Turtle Sands Caravan Park at Mon Repos, which shares a shoreline with the turtles that visit Mon Repos, could be in for a complete overhaul if a new owner buys the site and chooses to develop it.

Commercial realtor CBRE has been accepting expressions of interest for the sale of the site, which, according to their Turtle Sands Camping and Holiday Park Information Memorandum, has been approved for new accommodation.

“The asset currently comprises 106 sites/cabins and two dwellings, with a Development Approval (DA) for the property to be redeveloped to increase density by 21 sites to 127,” the memorandum reads.

A turtle laying eggs at Mon Repos in November 2021.

“The DA allows for the asset to be completely modernised, with a repositioning of the park to comprise a variety of offerings, amenities and services.”

CBRE’s key investment highlights also claim the site has an “extremely favourable zoning overlay allowing for alternative uses such as residential and retirement facilities,” which means houses could also be built on the site.

The caravan park is just metres from significant turtle nesting and hatching areas, which is open for select tours to lucky visitors between November and late March each year.

Rangers at Mon Repos Turtle Centre stress the importance of reducing light pollution and noise, which can deter turtles from coming up to the beach to lay eggs. Light can also disorient hatchlings.

The caravan park sits about 200m from popular turtle nesting areas.

It’s unclear if a developer would only be allowed to undertake construction activities during the off-season so turtles were not deterred from coming to shore.

While CBRE claims there is approval for modernised accommodation to go ahead, the State Government declined to answer questions about the impact construction could have on turtles.

However, a development application on the Bundaberg Regional Council website states that development of the caravan park was approved by the State Government in 2020.

Turtle Sands Caravan Park has been located just metres from turtle nesting grounds since 1974, and has been approved for redevelopment.

“On the 12th August 2020, the proposed redevelopment of Turtle Sands Holiday Park was approved by the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment,” the development application says.

“The approval, issued under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (see Appendix B), stipulates conditions adopted from the Applicant’s Turtle Management Plan, relating to impacts upon the marine turtle nesting habitat and the nesting behaviour of marine turtles.”

A Bundaberg council spokesperson told the NewsMail that all relevant benchmarks had been met for council approval.

“The application was assessed against all relevant benchmarks including Council’s Sea Turtle Sensitive Area Overlay Code,” the spokesperson said.

“We also note that the application was assessed by the State Government for matters of state environmental significance.

“Council is aware that the Federal Government has issued a separate approval for the proposal under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.”

Originally published as Mon Repos caravan park on the market