A proposal for a tourist park has taken an important step through the planning process.
The application, for a site at 64 Main Street, Kin Kin, was lodged by Adams and Sparkes Town Planning on behalf of Trillium Pty Ltd.
The proposal is for a tourist park with up to 25 camping sites suitable for tents, caravans and recreational vehicles.
Noosa Council officers agreed to a request from the applicant to have a future development application assessed under a superseded version of the planning scheme, with the decision made on July 20.
“This approval does not provide consent for the use and development to commence,” a council spokesperson said.
Instead, the decision gives Trillium the opportunity to lodge a development application that will be assessed against the version of the Noosa Planning Scheme in effect before the September 26, 2025 amendment.
The address is currently listed in property records as a house on a 10.48-hectare site. Online property information describes a four-bedroom home with sheds, a workshop and multiple parking spaces, while previous sales material describing the property as an acreage holding with paddocks, horse stables and other rural improvements.
The application documents describe a broader proposal around the camping sites, including a manager’s residence, food and beverage facilities, change rooms, laundry, reception and office.
The superseded planning scheme request was lodged under Section 29 of the Planning Act 2016.
Trillium representative David Ezrine said the company sought assessment under the previous scheme because its plans had been prepared before the September 2025 amendment took effect.
“The amendment doesn’t change what we’re proposing, but re-documenting a completed application against a new scheme is slow and expensive for a small hinterland business,” Mr Ezrine said.
“Section 29 of the Planning Act exists for exactly this situation, and anyone in our position has the same right. Council assessed the request and agreed it was appropriate.”
Under the superseded planning scheme, council said the proposed tourist park would be code assessable because the site was larger than 10 hectares, there would be no cabins or villas and the proposal was limited to 25 camping sites.
Mr Ezrine said Noosa Council had suggested Trillium request assessment under the superseded planning scheme.
“We are merely following their process,” he said.
He said approval of the request did not avoid the standard development assessment process.
“The application still goes through the full normal assessment, and once it’s lodged the plans will be on the public register for anyone to read,” Mr Ezrine said.
A council spokesperson said it has also received a separate superseded planning scheme request relating to a nature-based tourism proposal on the property.
Council said that proposal comprised six permanent two-bedroom glamping tents in a separate area of the site.
The request remains under assessment and no decision has been made.
Mr Ezrine said the experience had highlighted a broader issue for hinterland landholders who might not realise planning rules affecting their properties had changed.
“We only knew because we were mid-process,” he said.
“I’d like to see council write to affected landowners before an amendment takes effect, rather than relying on people finding a public notice.
“Most people only find out when they go to lodge something and discover the rules have moved.”
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