World Surf League wave pool had somewhere else to go on the Sunshine Coast: Maria Suarez

A Sunshine Coast councillor says developer Don O’Rorke’s proposal for flood plains at Coolum needs assessment with ‘robust data analysis’ and not anecdotes. Read the latest.

Don O’Rorke and Maria Suarez.

A Sunshine Coast Councillor says claims a Coolum Beach wave pool proposal should be supported because part of the site didn’t flood recently need “robust analysis” as proponents warn the attraction could be lost to the Gold Coast.

Division 9 councillor Maria Suarez described land that Consolidated Properties and the World Surf League want to build on as some of the lowest lying and most flood-affected on the Sunshine Coast.

Her claims came ahead of a meeting between community groups and Mr O’Rorke on Tuesday, May 31 as the developer warns his project could be lost to the Gold Coast amid ongoing delays.

Ms Suarez said the flood plain, on the western side of the Sunshine Motorway at Coolum Beach, was a natural storage area providing downstream protection during major flood events.

The World Surf League wants to build a surf ranch including a wave pool on the site.

The wave pool is one part of the proposal that also includes an eco-visitor centre, a hotel plus a residential component of up to 1500 homes.

Mr O’Rorke is the chairman of Consolidated Properties, which owns the 510ha site.

Mr O’Rorke said the government hold-up to approve the proposed wave pool on former cane land could cost the region the tourist attraction.

Ms Suarez said the World Surf League and Consolidated Properties had been threatening to move the surf ranch to the Gold Coast for the past 18 months.

“To say that the proposal should be supported because the northern part of the surf ranch site didn’t flood during the latest rain bomb is ridiculous, especially when you consider the recent events weren’t even as significant as the 1992 flood event,” she said.

“Any proposal would need to be assessed on robust data analysis not anecdotes.”

Developer Don O'Rorke from Consolidated Properties. Picture: David Clark

Mr O’Rorke said he agreed with Ms Suarez’s comments about the flood plain.

“Any development on the flood plain would have to be subject to rigorous analysis using the very detailed council flood model,” he said.

“As a company, we definitely do not want anything to endanger anyone’s property or livelihood and we point to our Casuarina Beach project in New South Wales.

“Casuarina Beach was designed and developed by the same team we’re using at Coolum, and even after significant flood events throughout New South Wales, particularly Lismore, Casuarina’s flood mitigation system worked perfectly.”

Ms Suarez said the Sunshine Coast Council had not changed its position on the proposal since it was first raised in 2020 that the flood plain was not an appropriate site.

She said the council had suggested an alternative site at Beerwah East.

“However, Consolidated Properties and WSL refused to consider it,” Ms Suarez said.

Mr O’Rorke said Consolidated Properties “diligently” researched that proposal from the council.

“The problem is the Beerwah East plan is not coming online for approximately 15 years, so it’s not an immediate opportunity,” he said.

Six community groups have joined together in opposition to the Coolum West project.

Representatives from the Community 6 met with Mr O’Rorke in Coolum Beach on Tuesday, May 31.

An aerial view of the land bordering Yandina-Coolum Rd and the Sunshine Motorway, where Consolidated Properties and the World Surf League propose to build a surf ranch and associated tourism, commercial and residential components.

The Community 6 is made up of representatives from the Coolum Residents Association, Development Watch, Friends of Yaroomba, Surfrider Foundation, Sunshine Coast Environment Council and OSCAR.

OSCAR president Melva Hobson said following the meeting the community groups maintained their stance that nothing should be built on flood plain.

“His proposal hasn’t changed and our position hasn’t changed,” she said.

“And he hasn’t give us anything to change our position.”

Mr O’Rorke said the World Surf League that owns the Kelly Slater Wave Co system was “understandably” pretty frustrated by the government process.

“It’s a significant tourist attraction, it’d be a shame if it went to the Gold Coast and that is an imminent possibility,” Mr O’Rorke said.

He said even in the latest rain bomb in early February and March, the northern part of his site did not flood.

The chairman said the community ran the risk of losing the wave pool and everything that went with it, including the hotel and the residential component.

Six Sunshine Coast community groups oppose the surf ranch project.

Questions about the state government’s position on the plan were put to the state development department before the May 31 meeting.

A spokesman said the government was currently in a due diligence process to better understand the impacts and potential benefits of the project.

World Surf League representatives were approached for comment but were yet to respond.

Originally published as World Surf League wave pool had somewhere else to go on the Sunshine Coast: Maria Suarez