The Queensland Government has given a green light to the $35 million Coochin Creek Tourist Park and major events venue proposed by developer Comiskey Group on a site close to Pumicestone Passage on the Sunshine Coast.
The approval follows a ministerial call-in by Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie after the project was rejected by the Sunshine Coast Council and the State Assessment and Referral Agency over concerns that the project will impact nearby wetlands.
However, the state government today announced the project could proceed following a “comprehensive assessment” that it says “balances economic development and practical environmentalism”.
Th decision aligns with the government’s Destination 2045 tourism strategy and recent planning reforms that are aimed at encouraging low-impact ecotourism in regional areas.
Comiskey Group, which owns the Sandstone Point Holiday Resort near Bribie Island, originally filed a development application in 2022 for the 150-site tourism park with the plans including a major festival end event precinct, known as Coochin Fields, that the company says will rival some of the country’s largest.
Located on 150ha along Roys Road, the development is expected to comprise 75 cabins and 75 campsites that will deliver an additional 180,000 overnight visitations a year to the Sunshine Coast.
Along with Coochin Fields, the tourism park is estimated to account for $60 million in expenditure locally per year while creating 550 full-time equivalent jobs both on-site and off-site once completed.
Comiskey Group director David Comiskey says today’s announcement represents a five-year planning and approvals process, with the company getting ready to proceed with construction as soon as possible.
"We purchased the land back in 2021, so it’s incredibly rewarding to reach this point - and we can’t wait to get started," says Comiskey.
“While we have drawn on our experience building, owning and operating the popular Sandstone Point Holiday Resort, Coochin Creek Tourist Park will be a unique destination in its own right, thoughtfully designed for its natural setting.
“The project will create local jobs, attract new visitors to the region and deliver a high-quality, family-friendly eco-tourism experience that showcases the Sunshine Coast.”
Bleijie, who is also Queensland’s Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning, says the decision reflects the government’s “commitment to unlock new ecotourism opportunities through responsible planning”.
“Queensland’s tourism future depended on projects like this and Coochin Creek will proceed with strong safeguards in place to protect the environment and ensure visitor safety, while supporting jobs and tourism growth,” he says.
"This decision was made after a rigorous process that considered expert advice and community input.
“The conditions we’ve imposed will ensure the project respects the unique environmental values of the area while delivering huge economic benefits for the Sunshine Coast region.”
Comiskey Group is an active developer in South-East Queensland with the company announcing in August last year a $250 million expansion for the Sandstone Point Hotel and Holiday Resort.
In September, the family-owned company also revealed plans to create a $180 million town centre precinct in North Lakes on Brisbane’s northern outskirts.
The company also owns the 113-year-old Imperial Hotel in Eumundi, where the company completed the final stage of a $5 million renovation ahead of Christmas last year, and added to its hospitality holdings with the acquisition of Eumundi Brewery from Lion earlier in the year.
In November, Comiskey consolidated its Eatons Hill Hotel holding, which includes the Comiskey Distillery, through the $3.5 million acquisition of 8ha of vacant land circling the site.
Sunshine Coast Business Council chair Sandy Zubrinich has welcomed today’s announcement approving the Coochin Creek Tourist Park development.
“The Comiskey Group is internationally known for developing and operating some of Australia’s most successful and award-winning tourism venues and this development adds to the diversity and choice to attract tourists to the area,” says Zubrinich.
Visit Sunshine Coast CEO Matt Stoeckel says the announcement is a “huge win” for the local tourism industry.
“The tourist park will deliver much needed new accommodation for the region while also strengthening the Sunshine Coast’s reputation as a leading eco-tourism destination,” he says.
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