Gympie council cracks down on Imbil Liberty servo

A Mary Valley business is facing closure and fines of more than $3million from Gympie Regional Council after complaints were made about activities going on there since new owners took over.

The owners of Imbil’s Liberty service station are battling with Gympie Regional Council with their transformation of a mechanic’s garage into the centre allegedly in breach of planning laws.

The owners of Imbil’s Liberty service station are locked in a battle with the Gympie Regional Council after allegedly breaching planning laws by redeveloping their mechanic’s garage.

Bryan Properties has lodged an application with the council in the hope of obtaining permission retrospectively for the large-scale overhaul of the Imbil Island Rd shop following investigations into its operations by the council in early August 2023.

The property was bought by Bryan Properties for $1.23 million in March 2023, CoreLogic RP Data records show.

The new owners have since refurbished the site, including replacing the three existing bowsers with new ones, replacing the front canopy, and erecting a fuel price pillar.

An August 18, 2023, notice of a development offence was issued by the council, included with the application documents, stating that a complaint lodged with the council prompted the on-site investigation.

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A notice of development offence issued by Gympie Regional Council on August 18, 2023, says investigations revealed the site did not have appropriate usage rights to allow for its transformation from a mechanic’s garage to service station.

Several alleged planning law breaches were found as a result, it says.

These included the “significant” works transforming the garage to a service station and shop, the addition of a large above-ground diesel tank, and construction of the canopy and fuel price pillar.

The council received another complaint on August 11, when the front canopy, stored at the site when the investigation was carried out, was finally installed.

The council’s notice claims the existing usage rights on the block were insufficient to cover its current operations as it had been “transitioned” from a workshop to a service station.

This had caused a “significant” increase in business activity.

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CoreLogic RP Data records show Bryan Properties bought the property in March 2023 for $1.23 million. A report lodged with its application to the council claims the previous owner had sold fuel as part of the mechanic business.

The owners were given two choices: Stop using the building as a service station within 30 days, or work with the council to obtain correct permissions through development approval.

The notice further adds should any alleged breaches be proven in court, the maximum penalties possible includes fines of up to $696,600 for individuals and $3.4 million for corporations.

A report included with the owners’ application stated fuel has been sold at the property for “more than 30 years, and it is understood it may date back as far as 1949”.

It says the previous owner, who ran the business since 1989, claimed fuel sales were a “core component” of the business “although he did also operate a car mechanics workshop on the site”.

The fuel was sold between 5am and 8pm, seven days a week, the report says.

It argues a need for the service station exists at Imbil given that, outside roadside bowsers at the town’s grocery and at Amamoor, the closest service stations are 15m away at Traveston and 20km away at Kenilworth.

The council has not yet made any decision on the application.

Originally published as Gympie council cracks down on Imbil Liberty servo