Rainbow Beach Manta Ray barge office to shut for renovation
New blood is about to enter the Rainbow Beach service station competition with the business undergoing a major overhaul from the end of July.
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Rainbow Beach’s Manta Ray barge ticket office is shutting its doors at the end of the month ahead of a full-scale renovation of the site, which will include the construction of a new service station and takeaway food shop.
Visitors seeking to secure a spot on the barge to Fraser Island after Sunday, July 25, will have to make their booking at least one day in advance by phone with the ticketing office not running a walk-in service during construction.
It is unknown how long the office on Rainbow Beach Road will be shut.
The redevelopment was approved by Gympie Regional Council in September 2020.
More than 80 conditions were imposed by the council on the project, which drew more than a dozen objections from the public, relating to traffic, safety and pollution concerns.
The council’s planning department said in the September meeting all these concerns had been addressed by the developer, Starwand, and “other relevant matters” including a lack of available land elsewhere and economic need supported the plan.
The facelift will transform the existing building into a combined servo, takeaway outlet and ticket office.
It will be the third petrol station in Rainbow Beach.
Between 30,000 and 40,000 people use the barge between the town and Fraser Island every year.
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Originally published as Rainbow Beach Manta Ray barge office to shut for renovation
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