By Sonia Isaacs
The long-running and deeply contested Coochin Creek Tourist Park proposal on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast has been given the green light, after the State Government stepped in to approve the development using ministerial call-in powers overriding council assessment and fierce environmental opposition.
Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jarrod Bleijie announced the decision on Thursday (January 8) at the former Strawberry Fields site on Roys Road, confirming he had exercised his powers under the Planning Act to approve what the Crisafulli Government is pitching as a “world-class” eco-tourism destination and major regional jobs driver.
The call-in removes the project from Sunshine Coast Council’s assessment process following months of public submissions and effectively makes the State Government the final decision-maker, with no appeal rights through the Planning and Environment Court.
Mr Bleijie said the approval sent a clear signal that “Queensland is open for business”, arguing the development stacked up economically and environmentally after a six-month state-led assessment.
“This decision is beneficial for Queensland, beneficial for the Sunshine Coast, and beneficial for jobs and economic opportunity,” he said.
“When I say Queensland is open for business, it means making decisions but making them responsibly.”
The approved development paves the way for a 150-site tourist park at Coochin Creek, featuring 75 villas, 75 camping and glamping sites, and facilities to accommodate more than 600 visitors at peak capacity. The 45-hectare waterfront site on the Pumicestone Passage will include pools, recreation areas and nature-based tourism infrastructure.
Mr Bleijie said more than 800 community submissions were considered before the decision was made and confirmed the approval carried 95 conditions, including road upgrades, fire management, environmental safeguards and revegetation requirements.
“Only about 0.6 hectares of vegetation will be cleared, while 3.3 hectares must be revegetated,” he said.
“We will end up with this being positive for the environment.”
Comiskey Group director David Comiskey welcomed the approval, calling it the end of a five-year planning process.
“We’re very excited to receive the approval and we thank the State Government for backing this project,” Mr Comiskey said.
“This will be a destination similar in scale and quality to Sandstone Point, drawing visitors from across Australia and, over time, internationally.”
While the group declined to lock in a final budget, Mr Comiskey said construction costs were initially estimated at $35 million, acknowledging costs could rise by as much as 30 per cent.
Construction is expected to be underway within two years, supporting more than 200 jobs, with a further 25 to 35 ongoing positions once operational.
However, the decision has reignited strong criticism from environmental groups, particularly given the site borders the Ramsar-listed Pumicestone Passage and sits within the Northern Inter-Urban Break, a protected green corridor under the ShapingSEQ regional plan.
Sunshine Coast Environment Council spokesperson Narelle McCarthy described the approval as “outrageous but not unexpected”, noting the State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) had previously recommended the project be refused due to bushfire risk, ecological impacts and a lack of overriding public need.
Mr Bleijie defended the move, saying state interests had shifted.
“One of our state interests now is eco-tourism, jobs and economic opportunity,” he said.
Tourism Minister Andrew Powell said the approval aligned with the government’s Destination 2045 strategy, which aims to expand low-impact tourism while boosting regional economies ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
A separate Comiskey Group proposal for a nearby large-scale 150-hectare outdoor events venue “Coochin Fields” at 1641 Roys Road remains under Ministerial consideration.
Picture Credit: Sonia Isaacs
