Councillors are recommended to approve a 24-hour servo, grocery store and tourist park — despite objections over traffic, noise and the loss of prime agricultural land.
A sprawling highway service hub proposed for Farleigh, about 15 minutes north of Mackay, is set to be decided by councillors this week.
The ‘Roadport’ proposal would transform a rural site on the Bruce Hwy, near the Knobels Rd intersection, into a large-scale service precinct with a 24-hour service station, food outlets, retail shop, short-stay accommodation, tourist park, transport depot and warehouse facilities.
Plans show the development would be delivered in three stages.
The highway-facing section includes a fuel shop with adjoining quick-service restaurants, a standalone grocery store and EV charging stations.
Further into the site, the proposal includes holiday cabins, powered camp sites, overnight RV parking, a camp kitchen, amenities buildings and a visitor information centre. Freight operations form a major component, with a transport depot, warehouse space and extensive heavy-vehicle hardstand areas designed to separate trucks from general traffic.
Nineteen objections were lodged during public consultation, with traffic — particularly at the Knobels Rd intersection — emerging as a key concern.
In response, the Department of Transport and Main Roads has restricted access to a single left-in, left-out entry point, prohibiting any other direct highway access.
Another key planning hurdle is the loss of about 40 hectares of high-quality agricultural land.
Officers acknowledged the loss but accepted there was an overriding public need for the development, given its direct highway access and role servicing freight, RVs and long-distance travellers.
The agenda further notes that suitably located alternative land was limited, as the project depends on direct highway access to function as a highway service centre.
The proposal would also introduce shops and food outlets into a rural zone — something that typically raises concerns about competition with established centres.
But modelling found the vast majority of customers would be passing motorists, limiting impacts on local businesses.
Submitters also raised concerns about noise, light spill and heavy vehicle braking, as well as fears that temporary accommodation could attract antisocial behaviour.
Officers say an acoustic report supports manageable noise levels and that tourist park stays would be capped at four weeks, with crime prevention measures incorporated into the design.
Despite the objections, officers concluded the proposal complies with the planning scheme and that impacts can be managed through conditions.
In weighing the public interest, they pointed to 109 ongoing jobs and an estimated $11.7 million in annual economic activity for the region, along with more than $8.1 million in infrastructure charges the development would generate.
The agenda warns there is a risk of a Planning and Environment Court appeal if councillors refuse the application, potentially exposing council to legal costs.
Councillors will vote on the proposal on Wednesday.
Extracted in full from: https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/regional/mackay-council-votes-on-farleigh-bruce-hwy-servo-tourist-park/news-story/65bc742125d41cb26530f44f3db48cb7
