Our Land of Plenty
The Capricorn Coast is "the land of opportunity" with an estimated $2 billion in development planned over the next 10 years, State Development Minister Tony McGrady said yesterday.
In the lead-up to the start of this weekend’s 69th Community Cabinet meeting in Yeppoon, Mr McGrady said the tremendous growth along the coast was driven by residential and commercial real estate development.
He lauded a number of upcoming developments.
These included the $1.2 billion Great Barrier Reef Resort, the $440 million Keppel Views development at Taranganba, the $120 million residential and resort Sea Spray Development at the Cocoanut Point project, and $150 million extensions to the Keppel Bay Marina.
He said a recent KPMG report selected the Capricorn Coast as one of the top three property hot spots in Australia.
"This massive growth can offer enormous economic and social benefits to business and residential communities alike," Mr McGrady said.
He did, however, endorse concerns that the type of growth expected on the coast needed careful and deliberate planning. Livingston Shire Mayor Bill Ludwig said Mr McGrady’s comments were based on a Central Queensland economic point of view and should be welcomed.
"It augurs well for our ability to seek infrastructure support to take advantage of our economic and residential growth."
However, the Capricorn Coast Ratepayers and Residents Association and the Yeppoon based Sensible Development Group were both concerned at the Minister’s comments.
Ratepayers Association president Barry Whelan said development and growth would happen, but infrastructure such as water and roads needed to be addressed.
"A land of opportunity sounds like a gold rush and we don’t want developers charging over the hills all trying to make a fast buck," he said.
Sensible Development’s Robyns Kennedy said the comment caused concern because it sounded like nothing but dollar signs.