Green light for huge festival site

The Comiskey Group, which is based in Moreton Bay, has been given approval for Queensland’s largest dedicated festival site.

Queensland Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie has cleared the way for Coochin Fields, a 155-hectare site at Coochin Creek, near Caloundra. It will host events for up to 35,000 festivalgoers and be capable of attracting major national and international touring artists.

Acquired by Comiskey in 2021, Coochin Fields was a turf and strawberry farm. Under new plans part will remain with tens of thousands of additional trees planted.

The project, which has been four years in the planning, is expected to deliver substantial economic and tourism benefits including:

• More than 680 full-time equivalent jobs

• Over $70 million in annual economic activity

• An estimated $95.1 million in annual visitor expenditure

• Approximately 69,500 visitors per year

• Around 243,100 visitor nights per year

Comiskey Group Director David Comiskey said: “Coochin Fields is a game-changer for Queensland.

“As the largest dedicated festival site in the State, it gives promoters, artists and audiences the scale and certainty they’ve been calling for.

“Most importantly, it means the world’s biggest acts can now perform right here on the Sunshine Coast.”

“We’ve already had strong interest from promoters when news of the site first emerged, and we’re excited to confirm we are now taking expressions of interest.

“This is about bringing world-class experiences closer to home while creating long-term opportunities for artists, industry and the local community.”

The Comiskey Group’s proposal for Coochin Creek Holiday Resort been also recently been approved by the Queensland Deputy Premier.

Plans include 75 camping and caravan sites, 75 cabins, a waterplay park, swim-up bar and jumping pillow.