February 17, 2014
A $5.3 million motel development on the D’Aguilar Highway is “one of the most exciting projects we have had in Kingaroy in recent years”.
South Burnett Deputy Mayor Keith Campbell congratulated the project team and investors behind the Across Country Motels development as they inspected the start of clearing on the site on Friday.
The 42-room motel will be built on a vacant block on Walter Road / D’Aguilar Highway on the southern outskirts of Kingaroy.
Stage 1 will also include a 150-seat restaurant area and bar, board room, lap pool, manager’s residence and gazebo / barbecue area.
Stage 2, which will be timed to coincide with the opening of Stage 1, will consist of a Function Facility which can cater for 250 people. This will be designed as a multipurpose area suitable for training, mini-expos or displays.
Across Country Motels managing director Seth Peady envisages the Function Facility would be a perfect area for car club displays, business meetings or tourism events.
Part-owner Kerrie Russell said she expected Monday-Thursday would attract the “working” business trade but the plan was to market the motel outside the area to attract weekend visitors.
Weekend packages would be put together to target car clubs, aero clubs, anglers etc.
“I think this is probably as exciting a project as we have had in the South Burnett. It is certainly one of the most exciting projects we have had in Kingaroy in recent years,” Cr Campbell said.
“It’s going to bring a new focus in terms of accommodation and conferencing, catering for the business and tourism market.”
Preliminary earthworks on the project will begin this week and then serious construction is scheduled to begin in March.
Mr Peady said the opening date for the four-and-a-half-star motel would be at the beginning of October.
(Alan Griffith Architect)
