After decades fending off developers, the owner of a historic farm in the urban heart of the Coast has signalled the end of an era and placed the 35 hectare property on the market.
Farmer Peter Wise — the name behind Wises Road — is calling for expressions of interest for the extremely rare land which is the last open space in Maroochydore.
The property where he grows and sells figs is close to the Maroochy CBD, Sunshine Plaza and the Sunshine Motorway and has quick access to the airport and beaches.
But there’s a bit of a catch for anyone who has pockets deep enough to buy Wises Farm, which is made up of two adjoining lots on 239 Wises Road.
Mr Wise says he will be considering the “vision” of the new owner and how they intend to transform the area which has been farmed by four generations of Wises for 120 years.
“The sale of Wises Farm will be conducted under my version of a tender system where, at the end, a potential purchaser’s cash offer is to include their best vision to redevelop the unique site,” he said.
“Both price and development vision by a potential purchaser will be considered equally in the sale process.”
Mr Wise has revealed he personally supports an idea for a private Christian university put forward by UNET (University Education and Training), the holding company of Queensland Christian University Ltd.
However this “vision” is non-binding on the land purchaser and subject to council approval.
Wises Farm has remained undeveloped for decades as the Sunshine Coast has grown rapidly around it.
Historic photos over the years show the progression of urban life on its doorstep, with the Sunshine Motorway, Sunshine Cove estate and new buildings on the Maroochy skyline.
Mr Wise has been fending off eager developers and the council for decades and once said “no amount of belly-aching is going to influence me one way or the other”.
“I’ll do it when I’m ready,” he said in 1995. “I have a feeling for the land.”
But now aged in his 80s, Mr Wise has realised the time is right.
“My decision to sell from a personal perspective is influenced by age and one’s lifetime expectation, a reality connected to the relentless forward movement of time,” he said this week.
Mr Wise said as expensive as the land would be to purchase, it offered “high-end returns for a visionary developer”.
“At present is a golden foundation; an opportunity for a visionary, financially sound developer who also wishes to add everlasting mega prestige to their development portfolio.”
The land sale would virtually end broad acre farming close to the outer verge of Maroochydore’s new CBD.
Purchased for 800 pounds
Originally a dairy farm stretching to the plateau of Buderim, the land’s rural legacy is close to 100 years, 56 of these maintained by Mr Wise with the help of family and others.
The family property was purchased by Mr Wise’s great grandfather Frederick Henry Wise Jnr in 1901 for 800 pounds.
Frederick had migrated to Australia from England to chase gold and ended up in Gympie. He bought land at the foot of Buderim and called it Palmyra.
Frederick moved his whole family into the homestead and his grandson Frank was born the year the family moved in.
Frank, Peter Wise’s father, lived and worked on the farm for his entire 100 years and had two sons, Peter and David.
Peter started farming the property full-time with his father in 1958. In 1965 and 1968 Peter and David bought another 300 acres adjoining Palmyra.
In 2022, the balance of the holdings is 39 hectares and is solely owned by Mr Wise.
Four hectares of the farmland will be retained and continue to produce fresh eating figs and a unique brand of Buderim coffee.
In the early 1960s, Wises Farm was originally serviced by an unnamed dirt track off Sugar Road, Maroochydore, used only by the family.
The council officially named it Wises Road, after Peter Wise, in the 1970s.
‘Extremely rare’ opportunity
For 30 years the land has been earmarked for development under various planning schemes.
It is currently zoned for predominantly low to medium-density housing.
A development approval was issued in 2012 under the Maroochy town plan for a mix of housing, with some localised commercial development.
An updated version of that development application was lodged with Sunshine Coast Council in July and is currently before council.
An approval would mean any future owner would have the potential to pursue that development application.
Julie Ryan, from REIQ’s commercial and industrial chapter, said Wises Farm was an extremely rare offering that had huge potential.
“It’s as rare as the council getting hold of the Horton Park Golf Course to do a new CBD; it’s an extremely rare thing,” said Ms Ryan.
“The only thing like it I’m aware of on the Sunshine Coast is the new CBD, so it’s rare.
“What it does is enable someone to do a very well-planned and clever development.”
Depending on zoning restrictions, Ms Ryan said there was a huge need on the Coast for more business and light industrial premises.
She said many businesses such as online-based retailers that had moved to the region were struggling to find anywhere to base their operations.
“There are very definitely housing and commerical pressures,” she said.
“A big part of the value of the land is its access to Sunshine Coast Airport which will be a huge driver of economic growth.”
