Noosa Council approves Tinbeerwah resident’s bid for deer harvesting plant

A Noosa hinterland resident’s controversial bid to operate a deer processing plant from his shed has been approved despite strong objections against it.

Wild deer are being targeted by the Noosa Council.

Residents living next door to a home-based deer processing plant have been promised carcasses will be out of view after the business received official approval.

Tinbeerwah residents Adam and Belinda Neilson received Noosa Council approval this week to open Queensland’s only dedicated wild venison business.

Mr Neilson has refitted a shed on his rural residential Patterson Dr property to process the meat that he will sell at markets or to restaurants.

The controversial project received objections from neighbours who said children had seen deer carcasses hanging from Mr Neilson’s ute.

They also raised noise, odour and amenity concerns and some argued the business would reduce home values.

But a majority of councillors on Thursday night voted in favour of the business, backing conditions that they said would protect amenity.

Mr Neilson welcomed the news and said he was keen to launch the business.

He said he would be able to work within the council’s conditions.

The shed was refitted five years ago and Mr Neilson has spent the past 12 months processing venison on his property for market research.

Noosa Council’s development assessment manager Kerri Coyle said council officers were in favour of the proposal because they could not identify any noise or odour impacts on neighbouring properties.

Noosa Council is expected to make a final decision on Thursday on Adam and Belinda Neilson's application for a deer harvesting facility at their Tinbeerwah rural residential property.

They said the shed’s 150mm insulated panels for climate-control doubled as acoustic barriers.

Under the council conditions carcasses cannot be visible from Mr Neilson’s ute and if he arrives at night he must dim his vehicle’s lights.

He also needs to provide landscaping to block his driveway from the neighbours’ views.

The approval will be reviewed within 12 months with any complaints received to be considered.

Councillor Joe Jurisevic said while it was not an easy decision, when he visited the property he did not believe noise was an issue.

“I’ve heard the concerns from the neighbours and I do sympathise with them,” he said.

“But I believe this will enable the applicant to show that they can abide by these conditions.”

Mayor Clare Stewart described it as a “very sensitive” issue but one that she had to consider the evidence before making her decision.

“Based on the evidence I saw, heard and smelt – as difficult as it is, this business does comply,” she said.

“The decision before us complies, it’s balanced and evidence based.”

Amelia Lorentson was the only councillor to vote against the approval.

She said Patterson Dr featured small blocks for a rural residential area and was not appropriate for that type of business.

Neighbours Brent and Kirsty Pocock said in a submission they worried the business would reduce the value of homes in the street.

They said they didn’t want their young children to see “dead carcasses” hanging from a vehicle, and the business belonged at a commercial or industrial estate.

Wild deer are known as a pest species.

Mr Neilson disputed the noise and odour complaints.

He said he remortgaged his house to start the business.

Brian Stockwell supported the proposal and said the response would have been different if it didn’t involve killing animals.

Mr Stockwell visited the property and likened the noise of the compressor to that of a “quiet library”.

“As a person who hasn’t eaten meat for 40 years, I can say what we’re dealing with is perceptions not reality,” he said.

“We’re dealing with the emotional impact that hunting a wild, feral animal and turning it into healthy, free-range food is offensive.

“That’s the fundamental thing here.”

Noosa Council’s Brian Stockwell.

The applications stated the shed was retrofitted for the exclusive processing of wild game meat as part of Mr Neilson’s business, Australian Wild Game Harvesters.

Mr Neilson would process five deer carcasses a week, however they would not be killed onsite.

According to the development application the shed was retrofitted for the preparing and packaging on the meat, with the carcasses refrigerated and well-sealed.

The applications noted it would also help with management of the pest species and cater to the growing number of people conscious of where their meat comes from.

It said 98 per cent of the animal was harvested and the waste was taken by the operator from the site to the Noosa Council’s waste recovery centre.

The councillors will make a decision on the proposal at an ordinary meeting on Thursday.

Originally published as Noosa Council approves Tinbeerwah resident’s bid for deer harvesting plant