Sunshine Coast developer plans to transform Yandina Creek land into tourist park

A Sunshine Coast developer wants to transform long-held family land near a vital flood plain into a tourist park which they say will be unlike any other in the region.

A developer has pitched a tourist park with more than 250 sites, close to a vital flood plain at Yandina Creek, to the Sunshine Coast Council.

Developer Danseur, directed by Noel Covey, submitted plans to the council for the 54.63ha Arcoona Rd site on December 6.

Currently earmarked for rural use, the developer is hoping to change land use to tourist activity.

The proposed development shows 254 sites with 150 powered caravan sites, 67 eco-cabins and 37 unpowered bush camping sites.

Documents submitted to the council stated the park would “act as a gateway” to nearby national parks, environmental reserves and the Blue Heart Sunshine Coast.

Developer Danseur, directed by Noel Covey, has pitched a 254-site tourist park near the Blue Heart flood plains.

“The proposed tourist park will be nestled within bushland and offers unique tourist experience unlike any current offerings in the region and is expected to encourage a more diversified range of visitors than currently experienced on the Sunshine Coast,” the documents stated.

“The proposed tourist park is expected to ‘open up’ the ‘Blue Heart’ to more tourists to the region and enable the clustering within the local area of farm and nature-based tourism to take advantage of the varied opportunities afforded by the local land uses.”

The Yandina Creek Wetland forms part of the 5000ha Blue Heart Sunshine Coast.

Blue Heart is a 5000ha project that provides flood storage for the Maroochy River and includes the council’s Coolum Creek Environment Reserve network, the state government’s Coolum Creek Conservation Park and Unitywater’s Yandina Creek Wetland.

The caravan sites at the proposed park would vary in size with “deep” and “extra-deep” offerings to accommodate larger rigs and some sites would also offer ensuites.

Amenities blocks, a swimming pool, a recreation room, a grassed open-space recreation area, play equipment and a cafe/restaurant are also proposed.

The camping sites would have “convenient and safe” access to an amenities building, a camp kitchen and a communal fire pit.

A 254-site tourist park is being pitched for Yandina Creek land that was used mostly for beekeeping. Picture: Patrick Woods.

A boat ramp, jetty and parking area for watercraft trailers is also slated along with an “extensive” walking trail network within the site, which would eventually connect to trail networks on surrounding land including in the Blue Heart area.

Documents showed the land was bought by the Covey family in 1964 and was used mostly for beekeeping.

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Mr Covey declined an interview until after the new year, but briefly said the proposal was about creating a place similar to a national park.

He did not say how much the development was worth.

Originally published as Sunshine Coast developer plans to transform Yandina Creek land into tourist park