11 major developments reshaping face of Gympie region

Landowners, developers and businesspeople have revealed major development plans for Gympie. These are the new projects in what has been a hot start to the year.

New shops near Victory College, a service station on the Bruce Hwy near KFC, and a 308-lot subdivision south of the Mary River are among almost a dozen major development proposals now with Gympie Regional Council.

Development across the Gympie region has started with a bang in 2023, with an array of significant proposals and plans on the radar which would reshape the face of the region.

From large scale subdivisions to new retail stores and popular businesses packing up for new homes, these are the biggest proposals from the past four months now sitting on Gympie Regional Council’s desk.

Supermarket, servo near Victory College

The Araluen Village Markets have been pitched for vacant land near Victory College.

A new retail centre is on the horizon with plans unveiled for a seven-day-a-week commercial hub near Victory College.

Developer Just Chillax Pty Ltd has asked for approval to build the centre on 4.2ha of mostly vacant land opposite the college.

If approved, the centre – named the Araluen Village Market – would become home to a string of retail and commercial outlets.
All applications are awaiting a decision from the council.

New Southside housing estate, health clinic

The 308-lot Bellagrove Estate is planned to be opened up at the Southside.

The long mooted Southside growth corridor is at the centre of a major subdivision and commercial development proposal which includes a 308-lot housing estate.

Developer DRP Southside has lodged plans with Gympie Regional Council to begin opening up the Bellagrove Estate on 42ha between Groundwater and Lawson Road.

The company bought the land for $4m in August 2021.

The first stage of the estate will transform 12ha into a miniature precinct including 15 new residential homes and four commercial buildings.

New Bruce Hwy service station

Haribol Qld Gympie wants to build a new service station near KFC at the Bruce Hwy.

A major transformation is in the works for the centre of Gympie with a new service station proposed near KFC.

Developer Haribol Qld Gympie wants to open the centre on land near the intersection of the Bruce Hwy and Channon St.

A timber house is situated on the block; it and other existing structures on the site would be bulldozed.

The new development, if approved, would add the new service station, a food outlet and a car wash to the services on offer.

Battery storage adds to renewable hub

Equis Energy reveals plans to build batter storage at Lower Wonga.

Lower Wonga’s transformation into a major state renewable centre continues to power forward with plans unveiled to build a battery storage facility a few hundred metres from the new $130m solar farm.

Renewable company Equis Energy has lodged plans to build a battery storage facility on a 10ha block about 700m southwest of the nearby Woolooga substation.

The substation itself will directly link with the solar farm, which is the brainchild of energy company Lightsource BP.

Hotel’s grand expansion plans

The owners of Joe’s Grand Hotel at Goomeri want to expand the venue onto the block next door.

One of the region’s most popular watering holes has unveiled a proposed a major facelift which would absorb the town’s old post office into the venue as part of extensive renovations.

Grand Hotel owner Joe Pendergast wants to make significant changes to the hotel, including adding a new enclosed dining room, another rear kitchen, a new breeze way and veranda, and reducing the upstairs accommodation from 18 rooms to 12.

Driving school pitches new home

Roadcraft driver education wants to move to a new spot after its premises were flooded in 2o22.

The impact of the floods which devastated the region in 2022 continues to linger, with long-time driver training school Roadcraft seeking to move after its offices were inundated by floodwaters.

The popular not-for-profit, a staple of the Gympie region for 43 years, has asked for permission to move part of its operations a few blocks further away from flood-prone land.

It would place the offices closer to a new driving track constructed after its original one was bisected by construction on the $1bn Gympie Bypass.

New expansion for 40-year-old business

Long-time businessman Tom Grady wants to expand his Tozer St rural merchandising shop.

Tom Grady’s business is showing no signs of slowing after four decades in the region, and now he wants to keep his customers moving too.

The rural merchandiser wants to expand his Tozer St shop and its offerings.

A drive-through service and improved parking are two of the main improvement, which will include a new detached building for storage and display and office space.

Childcare centre plans near Rattler

Tozer St, near the Mary Valley Rattler station, is the proposed home for a new 113 spot childcare centre.

A new childcare centre catering to more than 100 children is planned to be built only 1km from the city centre, and not far from where another was rejected in 2020.

Brisbane-based developer IC No. 2 Pty Ltd wants to build the centre on vacant land within 100m of the historic Mary Valley Rattler station at Tozer St.

Their application says the centre, if approved, would be able to cater for 113 children and employ 19 staff.

Vet Services on the move

Gympie Vet Services managers Dr Dan McDougall and Dianna Blackwood are preparing to move to a new home after being displaced by the February 2022 floods.

A year after being in left in flood-enforced limbo when its building and grounds in Little Channon Street were submerged under metres of muddy Mary River water, Gympie’s oldest and biggest veterinary surgery is moving.

Managers Dr Dan McDougall and Dianna Blackwood are preparing to pack their temporary Channon St home up and move to the former home of Madill Mazda, opposite Gympie Central Shopping Centre.

Renovations have begun at the building, although the development application remains with the council.

The block has been empty since Madill relocated to its new home at Glanmire in November 2022.

Southside childcare centre

Cos Schuh is the director of Sorensen Road Childcare, which has proposed a new 100 spot centre at the Southside.

A lack of childcare options at the Southside have been raised as the reason the council has received its second application for a 100 spot childcare centre in the region in as many weeks.

Sorensen Road Childcare Pty Ltd, directed by Cosmo Schuh, wants to build a new centre along its namesake at the Southside.

A brick house currently sits on one of the blocks the centre is proposed to be built on.

New Gympie retirement village

Tozer St retirement village plans, McGovern Development, lodged with Gympie Regional Council

Tozer St has been at the centre of two applications in the past four months, with the second being a proposed 153-lot retirement village.

McGovern Developments has unveiled plans to open the centre on 7.33ha of vacant land behind Tozer St, only a few hundred metres from the Mary Valley Rattler and historic Gympie station.

McGovern bought the land in January last year for $1.87m, CoreLogic RP Data records show.

Originally published as 11 major developments reshaping face of Gympie region