Whitsunday council to decide fate of new childcare centre, motel plans

A new childcare centre, extended library hours, and next year’s show holidays will all go before a Nth Qld council in the next week.

Krystal Hender

less than 2 min read

July 28, 2025 - 5:00AM

From development applications to show days, a range of local issues will be up for discussion when councillors gather next week for the Whitsunday Regional Council meeting.

Whitsunday

Don't miss out on the headlines from Whitsunday. Followed categories will be added to My News.

From development applications to show days, a range of local issues will be up for discussion when councillors gather next week.

Whitsunday Regional Council will meet in Bowen on July 30 to consider a range of issues at their monthly council meeting.

Mayor Ry Collins and the Whitsunday Regional Council will meet to discuss a range of topics at their July meeting.

Councillor expenditure transparency

Councillor John Collins has submitted a motion calling for all councillor-related costs, including travel, sponsorships, and event attendance, to be reported more frequently. If adopted, these expenses would be included in quarterly and annual reports in a bid to improve transparency and public access to information.

Library hours will be a point of discussion after it was announced there would be no more weekend hours.

Library opening hours

Council will vote on whether to allocate immediate funding to retain Saturday morning hours at the Cannonvale and Proserpine libraries. The motion, put forward by Councillor Clay Bauman, comes after council received strong community backlash to the announcement of the reduced days. Mr Bauman said usage data showed continued demand for weekend access, especially among working families and students.

Colonial Palms Motor Inn could be set for expansion.

Colonial Palms Motor Inn expansion

A development application for 32 accommodation units at 2 Hermitage Drive, Airlie Beach will be considered at the next meeting. The project, which includes a commercial kitchen, laundry, and carparking and is linked to Colonial Palms Motor Inn. The application has been amended since the consultation period to address privacy, noise, and building height concerns.

Plans have been submitted for a new childcare centre.

New childcare centre for Cannonvale

A new childcare centre accommodating up to 104 children has been proposed for 25–27 Parker Road in Cannonvale. The facility would include an outdoor play areas and carparking. Carparking will be a key consideration for council when it comes to approving the development with only 51 parking spots proposed instead of the required 73.