Brooks family backs Sarina Beach Eco-tourism development

After almost 10 years of planning, an ambitious development and tourism project is getting closer.

Sarina Beach. Site of proposed development

An ambitious housing and eco-tourism project set to transform Sarina is facing its final hurdle on Wednesday.

The Sarina Beach Eco Village project, consisting of hundreds of new homes, eco-tourism venues, short-term accommodation and large retail spaces, will be up for approval at the Mackay Regional Council meeting on Wednesday December 13.

The ambitious project, directed by the affluent Brook’s family, has been in development since the late 2010s and is now looking to move onto one of the preliminary stages of development.

The latest hurdle the project will face is from the council which has been performing a number of assessments regarding the proposal.

The council’s meeting agenda determined a number of benefits to the community from the proposal including more housing and public transport options.

“The proposal will assist in providing housing affordability by increasing stock and providing housing choice,” the agenda stated.

While the Sarina Eco Village is partly designed as a centre for tourism a minimum of 160 lots have been put aside as residential areas with 10 hectares of the land available to be developed as part of the eco-tourism precinct. 

Proposed development site Sarina Beach. Photo: Townsville Bulletin

The new development could bring public transport to the Sarina Beach area.

“Sarina Beach is not currently serviced by public transport; however future development applications will be required to consider public transport facilities when designing the development,” the agenda stated.

Mackay Council assessments have also restricted the Eco Village’s retail space from 2000 square metres to 1000 square metres, arguing that other retail demands can be met by existing locations and businesses in the Sarina area.

“We want the development to be environmentally sensitive while allowing visitors to experience the region’s outstanding landscape character and areas of ecological significance.” Lesley Brook’s said.

“The vision is for a mixed-use development, including residential, convenience retail, community facilities and eco-tourism accommodation precincts,”

Reflecting this vision, the Sarina Eco Village development will be retaining almost 100 hectares of bushland and coastal area classified as passive open spaces or constrained land.

Constrained land is land where it is unfeasible to build on whereas passive open land is land that is preserved for the enjoyment of the public, such as nature parks and green spaces.

“The development proposal takes advantage of the unique coastal location and scenic value of the subject site” the assessment concludes, recommending the project for approval.”

If approved the Sarina Eco Village could be on track to be completed over the next 10 years.

Originally published as Brooks family backs Sarina Beach Eco-tourism development