August 22, 2013
Boondooma Homestead will become home to the South Burnett’s western-most caravan park.
Yesterday at its monthly meeting, the South Burnett Regional Council agreed to waive a planning application fee for a Material Change of Use to a Caravan Park.
The decision will allow the Boondooma Homestead Management Advisory Committee to proceed with plans to establish 20 powered and unpowered caravan sites in the grounds.
The caravan park sites will complement existing bush camping sites.
Cr Kathy Duff, a member of the Advisory Committee, said she was keen to support the application.
“The association has been trying for years to get a caravan park. Council have worked closely with the committee to get this application on the table,” Cr Duff said.
“I cannot speak highly enough about this project.”
The Association’s vision statement is to preserve the history of Boondooma Homestead and Boondooma Station, which was settled in 1842 by three young Scotsmen.
The Station was originally bounded by the hill east of Proston, Brovinia Creek to the north, Darr Creek to the south, and the Great Dividing Range to the west – a total of nearly 2,500 square kilometres.
The homestead is one of the few remaining Queensland examples of an elegant wooden home built in 1854-55.
Visitors can walk through several buildings constructed in the 1850s and spend time in the gardens, enjoying trees and vines which also date from the 1850s.
The Association hope the new caravan park will allow more people to experience the Homestead and its unique offerings year-round, and it hopes to open the new facility in 2014.
Boondooma Homestead Management Advisory Committee chairman Cr Keith Campbell told councillors that three cabins have also recently arrived on the site.
While they’ll require additional work to be usable, once this is completed they’ll be added to the facilities too.
The Association holds two major events each year – the Spirit of the Bush Balladeers and Heritage Muster, which is held annually around Anzac Day; and the Scots in the Bush Festival, which was held last weekend.
Cr Kathy Duff said that this year Scots in the Bush had attracted about 200 caravans – double the number it drew last year.
“It was a sensational weekend and full credit to the Association for putting it on. This is a huge injection into South Burnett’s economy.”
