Expansion plans revealed for Yeppoon’s iconic Railway Hotel

Exciting plans are in the pipeline for an iconic Yeppoon hotel to undergo a facelift. Here is what’s proposed for the popular venue.

Expansion plans are in the pipeline for The Railway Hotel at Yeppoon.

Yeppoon’s iconic Railway Hotel is set to get a facelift with expansion plans submitted to the council.

A planning report compiled by Gideon Town Planning and submitted to Livingstone Shire Council details a proposed extension to the popular hotel on James Street.

The development proposal is to demolish the south-east corner of the Railway Hotel building to allow for an extension and refurbishment of the existing gaming room.

The gaming room extension, with a footprint of 165 sqm, would accommodate 42 gaming machines, a modern bar/cashier area and a new entry, among other things.

A new roof structure would be integrated into the existing building’s roofline.

Railway Hotel, Yeppoon.

The renovation would include an updated building facade towards the parking area and along Arthur Street, with cladding walls and a pedestrian entry point.

As well, the existing male toilet amenities would be renovated to accommodate a unisex-accessible toilet.

If the extension is approved by the council, it is anticipated the new gaming room would retain the current Monday to Sunday operating hours from 10am to 4am, and the liquor trading hours from 9am to 2am.

This aerial shot shows the Railway Hotel Yeppoon (lighter red colour) and its proposed extension (darker red coloured area).

The planning report, prepared on behalf of the hotel’s owner, North Queensland Hotel Investments Pty Ltd, addresses the relevant codes and policies of the Planning Scheme and State planning requirements - something that is sure to work in the proposal’s favour.

“The proposed development is considered to satisfy the relevant requirements of the regional, state, and local planning instruments,” the planning report says.

“The development accords with the relevant Planning Scheme Codes and maintains the outcomes sought for the Major Centre Zones.

“It is considered that the proposal has merit and warrants favourable consideration by Council.”

The Railway Hotel is nestled right alongside the Bay Plaza shopping complex, which has been undergoing its own major redevelopment over the past 12 months.

North Queensland Hotel Investments Pty Ltd’s application for a material change of use is yet to be considered by Livingstone’s councillors.

Originally published as Expansion plans revealed for Yeppoon’s iconic Railway Hotel