By Dominique Tassell
A Wallangarra tourist park was debated by Councillors at the recent meeting and eventually approved with amendments.
Southern Downs Regional Council approved the tourist park, with nine tent sites and associated office and reception, at 4 Happy Valley Road, Wallangarra with the amendment that “no person is to reside at the Tourist Park for more than 14 days consecutively, or more than 90 nights in any 12-month period”.
“The approved accommodation must not be occupied by persons for the purpose of permanent accommodation, excluding those persons in a manager’s residence for the premises.”
On 10 June, Council issued a Development Permit for a Material Change of Use to establish a Tourist Park with nine tent sites, an office and reception, on land at 4 Happy Valley Road, Wallangarra.
The applicant had requested that they not be made to erect a screen fence or connect the development to reticulated electricity.
In the meeting, Cr Ross Bartley flagged that he would be putting forward an amendment to limit the days a person could consecutively spend at the park to seven days.
He stated that he didn’t know anyone who would want to sleep in a tent in our current weather.
In response, Cr Cynthia McDonald referenced her time in the army, and the amount of time spent sleeping in tents, to which Cr Ross Bartley said he could live in a tent if he was getting paid well to do it.
Cr McDonald requested to know what the norm was at other camping facilities in the region, such as Foxbar Falls, and how long they allow guests to stay.
Staff stated that short-term accommodation is usually up to three months, but can be shortened if of a nature that warrants it.
They also stated there is only one other example of glamping in the region.
Cr McDonald said she believed it should be consistent with other accommodations of a similar notice.
Cr Stephen Tancred said he wanted to maintain that the applicant is required to erect the fence and connect to electricity, and supported changing the length of stay to seven days.
He said the fence is to prevent neighbours from having to look into the park, and to prevent visitors from looking into residences.
Cr Tancred stated that there have been trees but he believed the fence should still be required.
Regarding electricity, he said this “may be a window as to what style this development may develop into if they don’t have proper electricity and rely on solar”.
He said there are potentially nine bathrooms, microwaves, jugs, CD players, phone chargers, and more being run at the site and “surely electricity would be the basic minimum”.
Cr Tancred said he objected to extended stays at the site.
“This is not Hayman Island, this is a large block on the edge of Wallangarra,” he said. “We are saying there is limited cooking and no laundry.”
He said after seven days, limited cooking “wears a bit thin” and so does running low on laundry.
Cr Tancred said he still thought seven days may be too long, but objected to it less than 21 days.
He said the site could end up being a “Trojan horse” for a backpacker hostel.
He stated that no “high-end traveller” would want to stay at “that place” for 90 days.
Cr Andrew Gale maintained that locals have concerns about the application.
Cr Gale maintained that the term “glamping” is subjective but should be luxurious.
He said he would definitely support changing the term to seven days, and requiring the fence to be built.
Cr Jo McNally then stated that Cr Tancred was being derogatory towards Wallangarra by calling it “that place”.
She said as a whole they were not being small-business friendly and were “putting up roadblocks”.
She and Cr McDonald raised that school holidays go longer than seven days.
Cr Cameron Gow agreed that families generally holiday for the entirety of the holidays.
He stated that a “glamping tent” is suitable for a longer stay in harsh conditions than a normal tent.
Cr Gow stated that he believed it was a good spot for people to base themselves to then explore areas in the Granite Belt including Girraween National Park and our wineries.
A motion was put forward by Crs Bartley and Tancred with an amendment stating guests could stay for a maximum of seven days instead of 21 days.
The motion was lost, with everyone else in the room bar Cr Gale against it.
Cr McDonald put forward a motion amending the limit to 14 days, which Cr Marco Gliori seconded. The motion was successful.
Cr Tancred expressed after the meeting that he had been looking after the people of Wallangarra.
“Have my colleagues forgotten all the submissions we had against this?”
