By Sonia Isaacs
BEERWAH Rural Fire Brigade volunteers have gone public with their frustration over lease arrangements and the future of their long-standing site, amid claims the Sunshine Coast Council is orchestrating a “land grab” – allegations the council has strongly rejected.
Several posts on the brigade’s Facebook post last week allege that council, rather than the Queensland Fire Department (QFD) or Rural Fire Service Queensland (RFSQ), had been behind moves to end the brigade’s lease at 175 Roys Road, Beerwah.
One post, attributed to a brigade member, said volunteers were initially led to believe the relocation was an operational decision, only to later learn council was responsible.
“The Brigade was never told by Council or QFD/RFSQ that Council was terminating our lease in 2028 with a 30-day eviction notice,” the online post said.
The post also alleges volunteers were warned in a mid-2024 meeting with RFSQ personnel that refusing the move could leave them without premises.
“No explanation was given for this non-renewal,” the post states, highlighting concerns that communication around the relocation has been confusing and conflicting.
Volunteers say their frustration centres on transparency and consultation rather than any immediate threat of eviction.
According to the online post, the brigade has occupied the land since 1990 under a $1-per-year lease originally granted by the former Queensland Forestry Department.
It claims that after forestry assets were transferred to council control following state government changes more than a decade ago, council became the sub-lessor and was required to maintain the brigade as a perpetual tenant at the same nominal rate.
The posts also claim sublease costs at the current site were later increased to a level that made the arrangement financially unviable for the Rural Fire Service, although council disputes this claim as false.
A Sunshine Coast Council spokesperson confirmed the current lease with QFD does not expire until 2028 and continues to remain at a peppercorn rate of $1 per year.
“With an existing Council resolution (September, 2023) in place, Council has been negotiating terms with QFD for a lease until 2033,” the council spokesperson said.
“Council is in no way evicting the Rural Fire Brigade from this site.
“Discussions regarding any potential relocation are matters between QFD and the Brigade.”
QFD confirmed it was advised in 2022 that the Roys Road site did not offer long-term tenure security.
“There has been no change to the terms or type of lease arrangement,” a QFD spokesperson said.
“The new combined facility provides tenure security for the brigade and service continuity for the community.”
The department said the $10 million multi-service fire complex at Creek Crescent, Beerwah would deliver a larger, more modern facility, including expanded training space, an additional appliance bay, increased storage capacity, dedicated volunteer parking, and contemporary amenities.
QFD added that it has consulted with brigade members on the building design since 2024 and remained committed to incorporating feedback wherever possible.
Volunteers say the past few years have been marked by conflicting messaging from local and state departments.
Volunteers say they want greater transparency and clarity about both current lease arrangements and the new facility capacity to ensure the brigade can effectively maintain its service to the community.