Gympie Council purchases former burnt out Mary St block

A block of land left empty after a shocking firebombing in Gympie’s CBD over Easter has now officially changing hands.

Beside Memorial Lane and directly opposite Tom Grady Real Estate on Mary St, an empty block of land has recently been wrapped up like a Christmas present in Gympie Regional Council fencing.

What will become of the land is yet to be decided, but it can be confirmed the council has purchased the blocks in what is a silver lining after the dramatic history of the land -from floods and fires. 

“I’m so excited for this,” Councillor Bruce Devereaux said.

“From the ashes of that fiery night something will be reborn here.”

Bruce Devereaux is excited to hear of council’s purchase of 160 and 162 Mary St.

The block was declared a crime scene across the Easter weekend after Ozzy Tobacconist and Vapes was firebombed and went up in flames that took six hours for firefighters to control.

The fire started on Sunday, April 9, 2023 and spread to the nearby Energy Chiro, gutting both units and leaving an asbestos mess.

The Queenslander Hotel suffered scorch marks and broken windows as stock from the tobacconist turned into ad hoc fireworks and lighters and gas bulbs exploded into flames.

The Memorial Lane was what saved the hotel from going up in flames, but their outside walls were left warped and blackened from the heat.

In April 2023, a store on the corner of Mary St and Memorial Lane burned down leaving an asbestos mess and eyesore to businesses and shoppers. Picture: Christine Schindler

Police are still investigating, with released CCTV footage showing two balaclava-clad people, one carrying a jerry can, breaking into the building.

As they exit one appears to throw at light back into the store and it bursts into flames.

The fate of the block of land has been the centre of speculation, transformed from a burnt out eyesore, to an empty block of land which sat on the market for 86 days.

But now but it can be confirmed the council has purchased the empty blocks of land.

CoreLogic RP Data records show 160 and 162 Mary St were sold on December 14, 2023 for a price of $150,000.

The Gympie Regional Council has recently purchased the empty block of land beside Memorial Lane. December 20, 2023. Picture: Bruce Devereaux

The wrapping of the block of land, proudly declaring it belonging to Gympie Regional Council, gave the hint away as celebrations hit off on Wednesday night for the CBD’s 10th Mary Christmas celebrations.

What next for the empty block of land is up for the next lot of councillors to decide, and he said he hopes whatever it is it will leave a “legacy residents will benefit from”, Mr Devereaux said.

Originally published as Gympie Council purchases former burnt out Mary St block