State Referral Agency recommends refusal of Coochin Creek tourist park
By Sonia Isaacs
THE State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) has delivered a damning assessment of a proposed large-scale tourist park at Coochin Creek, formally recommending the project be refused on the grounds of non-compliance with planning regulations and a lack of public interest.
In advice sent to Deputy Premier and Planning Minister Jarrod Bleijie MP, SARA concluded that the development by Coochin Creek Property Pty Ltd, linked to the prominent Comiskey family, failed to demonstrate any “overriding need in the public interest” and was inconsistent with key state planning instruments, including the ShapingSEQ 2023 regional plan.
The proposal seeks to increase the number of sites from 100 to 150 on a 43-hectare property at 1807 Roys Road, bordering internationally recognised wetlands along Coochin Creek.
The land, previously used for strawberry farming and turf production, sits within the Northern Inter-Urban Break (NIUB) and the Regional Landscape and Rural Production Area (RLRPA), zones established to prevent urban sprawl and protect natural and rural values.
SARA’s assessment found “no compelling locational requirements” for the project and said alternative sites suitable for nature-based tourism exist outside the NIUB.
The agency warned that approval would undermine the integrity of both the NIUB and the RLRPA, which are central to long-term regional planning for South East Queensland.
Transport and safety concerns were also highlighted, with SARA finding the developer’s plan to reinstate a right-turn movement from Roys Road onto the Bells Creek Arterial Road was unsafe.
The manoeuvre would compromise upgrades to motorway standard and expose caravans and slow-moving vehicles to unacceptable risks.
Other red flags included adverse noise impacts on nearby rural properties, reverse amenity conflicts with farming operations, potential impacts on Pumicestone National Park and the Moreton Bay RAMSAR wetland, and the need for a comprehensive bushfire management plan given high-risk access roads.
While SARA suggested some issues could be mitigated by conditions, its overall recommendation was unequivocal: the proposal should be refused.
“SARA does not believe there will be a significant adverse economic, social or environmental impacts on the community if the proposed tourist park is not developed,” the advice stated.
Despite this, under the Planning Act 2016, the Planning Minister is not legally bound to accept SARA’s advice in the context of a call-in process.
Mr Bleijie has already issued a proposed call-in notice for the development, triggering further scrutiny and public consultation once the applicant responds to a detailed government request for more information.
The SARA recommendation has been welcomed by environmental groups, who say the development threatens one of Queensland’s most sensitive coastal ecosystems.
Narelle McCarthy, Advocacy and Engagement Manager at the Sunshine Coast Environment Council (SCEC), said the project was “ill-sited and ill-conceived.”
“There is clearly no overriding public interest nor need to support approval of this development,” she said.
Take Action for Pumicestone Passage (TAPP) president Renay Wells echoed those concerns, describing the Ramsar-listed wetland as “not a site for experimental tourism on flood-prone land.”
“We welcome SARA’s clear recommendation to reject this proposal and urge the Minister to respect the science, uphold our international treaty obligations, and protect one of Queensland’s most vulnerable coastal ecosystems – before it’s too late,” she said.
A government spokesperson confirmed the Deputy Premier had issued an information request to the applicant, seeking greater details about the proposed uses and the potential economic, tourism, social and environmental impacts.
“SARA’s assessment of the application foresees two possible outcomes, both a refusal or an approval with conditions,” the spokesperson said. “The Deputy Premier will consider the merits of both options in his decision making.”
The Comiskey Group was contacted for comment.
www.planning.qld.gov.au/planning-framework/development-assessment/ministerial-call-ins