Agency questions festival site plan

Plans for one of Queensland’s largest privately-owned festival and camp sites, just north of Moreton Bay, have not been supported by a key government agency.

Three years ago the Comiskey Group, based in Moreton Bay, announced plans for a 150-hectare site at Coochin Creek, south of Caloundra.

The group, which built and runs Eatons Hill and Sandstone Point Hotels, proposed “world-class festivals” and performances by “top-tier artists”.

Deputy Premier and Planning Minister Jarrod Bleijie “called in” the development application as it had economic and environmental state interests.

It was referred to the State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA), having “triggered” the SEQ Regional Landscape and Rural Production Area (RLRPA) and Northern Inter-Urban Break (NIUB).

SARA has now recommended the Deputy Premier refuse the application as “there is not an overriding need in the public interest for the proposed development”.

SARA’s four-page response includes the “proposed development is not consistent with the RLRPA and conflicts with the expressed core values of the NIUB identified in ShapingSEQ 2023”.

The Comiskey Group has been approached for comment.

SARA “does not believe there will be a significant adverse economic, social or environmental impact on the community if the proposed outdoor sport and recreation use is not developed”.

And “there are no unique features about this proposal that require it to be located inside the NIUB”.

A Community Coalition – made up of Bribie, Caloundra and Sunshine Coast organisations, has welcomed SARA’s decision.

“SARA’s assessment reinforces our argument that an event and music festival development located in the NIUB green belt does not, in fact, involve an economic interest of the State and therefore should be refused by the Planning Minister,” it said in a statement.

The Coalition highlighted SARA’s findings over a lack of unique features, one access road and possible impact on nearby residents, Pumicestone National Park, Pumicestone Passage and RAMSAR wetlands.

However, it acknowledged: “Planning Minister Jarrod Bleijie can still choose to ignore the advice of his own government’s technical referral agency and decide to approve the application.”

When announcing the plans, the Comiskey Group said Coochin Fields would be a greenfield site for events only.

All festival infrastructure would be brought in for each event. No permanent buildings were planned.

Turf and strawberry farms currently on the site would remain operational under the new proposals.