Media Release

Community Unites to Oppose Ministerial Call-Ins at Coochin Creek

 

MEDIA RELEASE

A growing coalition of community groups representing thousands across the Greater Sunshine Coast is urging Planning Minister Jarrod Bleijie not to proceed with proposed Ministerial Call-Ins for two intensive Comiskey Group development proposals within metres of the ecologically sensitive Pumicestone Passage and its catchment area, the green belt between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, known as the Northern Inter Urban Break (NIUB).

The proposals—one for a large tourist park and the other for a mega-scale multi-event site with up to 35,000 people attending an event per day—were under active assessment by Sunshine Coast Council and the State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) when the Minister issued Call-In notices for public comment. These powers are intended for rare, exceptional circumstances—not to override transparent due process.

“These proposed Call-Ins are a concerning and unprecedented use of powers that undermine the integrity of Queensland’s planning and environmental frameworks,” said Melva Hobson PSM, Chair of OSCAR, the peak body representing Sunshine Coast residents’ and other community organisations.

“SARA has already found the festival application non-compliant with state interests, while Council identified significant planning conflicts and issues in both proposals. These proposed call-in actions unnecessarily escalates the risks to the sensitive environments and ecological values of the Pumicestone Passage and catchment, including inter-urban break green-belt” said Narelle McCarthy, for the Sunshine Coast Environment Council.

“For the Minister to contemplate calling in these inappropriate proposals in such an ecologically sensitive area is highly objectionable and misplaced.  It is also counter to the government’s current support for the impact of the Bribie Breakthrough on the Passage” said Ken Mewburn AOM, President of Take Action for Pumicestone Passage (TAPP).

“The scale and intensity of these developments are of serious concern,” added Sue Diserens, Honorary Secretary of the NIUB Integrity Association. “The developer has not met basic planning requirements and is yet to respond to Council’s request for further information, despite one being issued in November 2024 and the other in March this year.”

Jude Crighton, Secretary of Wildlife Preservation Society Sunshine Coast, noted: “The Minister should also be mindful that the developer has failed to refer the applications under federal environmental law, despite likely significant impacts on matters of national significance.”

A spokesperson for the Caloundra Residents Association echoed the concerns and added: “Ministerial Call-Ins remove the community’s right to be heard and extinguish appeal rights that the public and surrounding land owners would normally have through the Planning and Environment Court.”

The groups have met with local MP Kendall Morton and seeking meetings with the Deputy Premier and Planning Minister Jarrod Bleijie MP who has proposed the call ins, and Andrew Powell MP, Minister for the Environment and Tourism and Minister for Science and Innovation with the view to also visit the sites to get a better appreciation of the area and its values.

 

Take Action

Community members are encouraged to:

• Sign the petition at Change.org: https://chng.it/rr979gpSkR

• Submit feedback the Coochin Fields Call-In by 16 June 2025 to: ministerial.callin@dsdilgp.qld.gov.au

 

Available for comment

Ken Mewburn OAM, Take Action for Pumicestone Passage (TAPP): 0409 322 628

Narelle McCarthy, Sunshine Coast Environment Council (SCEC): 0424 465 487

Melva Hobson PSM, Organisation Sunshine Coast Association of Residents (OSCAR):  0433 214 320

Sue Diserens, Northern Inter-Urban Break Integrity Association (NIUBIA): 0423 522 521

Image information:

Pumicestone Passage at the area that will be most impacted by the proposed developments of the Coochin Tourist Park and the Music festival & events site. Image supplied

This photo shows the area called the “Narrows” with Bullock Creek entering from the eastern side. Further right on the photo is the area known as “The Skids” and further to the right, the large area is Tripcony Bight. This was generally the “null” area or the meeting of the tides from north and south and is a sensitive and protected area of the passage. The narrow strip of water entering from the right side of the photo is Coochin Creek.

The Music Festival site drains into Coochin Creek and into the Passage. Any contamination entering Coochin Creek is transported north into the northern end of the Passage to ultimately exit via Caloundra Bar.

The small area in the left side is the site of the Tourist Park which drains into the Passage.

Due to Tidal Phasing, the Passage has a slow northerly flow of water from the southern end to the Caloundra Bar. This feature is responsible for maintaining the Estuary at the Skids and the Narrows, otherwise it would slowly close.

Ministerial call-ins: https://www.planning.qld.gov.au/planning-framework/development-assessment/ministerial-call-ins