David and Kevin Taylor with the plans for the Kingaroy North development

May 27, 2014

A multi-million dollar commercial development which will reshape the northern outskirts of Kingaroy – and create hundreds of jobs – is one step closer to reality following the successful purchase of the land by local developers.

The plan is for a tavern, major retail stores, a fast food outlet and a 24-hour truck stop or service station.

Kingaroy Investments directors David and Kevin Taylor have been working for four years to secure the project, which already has Council approval, but settlement on the purchase only occurred on Friday.

The area, the western half of the former Sunnyvale development, will be known as “Kingaroy North”.

A large commercial strip covering 30 acres extends along the Bunya Highway with room enough for several nationwide stores to stake a claim.

The consortium of local developers hopes to have the first retail development operational on site within 24 months.

The group says it will use local builders and tradespeople “as much as possible” and believes the project has the potential to give the region a major economic boost over the next two decades.

And despite a recent slump in the property market, they say now is the right time to act.

“Kingaroy is on the cusp of moving from being a small town to becoming a major regional centre,” David Taylor said.

The Kingaroy North site stretches from just north of Banksia Drive along the eastern side of the Bunya Highway to the Taylors Road intersection.

Kevin Taylor said the consortium has already begun discussions with a range of interested national companies about the possibilities of moving into the site.

The consortium is also looking at plans to build an over-50s complex on another 25 acre section abutting Taylors Road, possibly modelled on the Fraser Coast’s “RV Homebase” lifestyle village.

About 200 residential blocks could also be developed on the southern end of the site, however because of the large number of residential blocks already approved in Kingaroy, this was “a low priority” for the group at present.

Kevin Taylor said the core aim of Kingaroy North was to “grow” Kingaroy.

“In the long term, it’s definitely going to be a good thing for the town,” he said.

He said the consortium believed Kingaroy needed more shopping and employment options to expand its role as the South Burnett’s regional centre, and was confident the Kingaroy North project would create both.

He was also confident the project would succeed because it was backed “by local money” and the purchase had been funded without bank finance.

Last month the South Burnett Regional Council approved alterations to the master plan for parts of the site which allow for the realignment of a road inside the development, changes to lot sizes, and changes to a vegetation buffer zone.

Mr Taylor said this would give them greater flexibility in marketing the project to retailers.

South Burnett mayor Wayne Kratzmann welcomed the news saying “things were starting to tick over again” in the region.

“We have had good news from Stanwell, the new motel, Taabinga Downs and now Kingaroy North,” he said.

He said Council was thrilled to have a local consortium working on the Kingaroy North project.

“These are the sort of economic development contributions that we need,” he said.

Related articles:

Initial plans for the Kingaroy North development, which is bounded by Taylors Road and the Bunya Highway; the blue area is commercial, yellow is the retirement precinct, ochre is residential, and the green is parkland and open space

 

31 Responses to "More Shops, Jobs … It’s Kingaroy North"

  1. Why the hell do we keep developing on rich soil? Go build your shops on the sh*t land and leave the good dirt for growing food. Makes no sense to me!

  2. Why Kingaroy?? Nanango has got a big open site where we were supposedly going to get a centre in 2008!!

    • I’m sure that once Kingaroy really starts picking up the same will follow for Nanango. This is good for the entire SB region.

  3. Just a few shops that would be good for the area would be Kmart, Bunnings, Sizzler, Dan Murphy’s.

  4. I agree we need a Coles and a Sizzler as there is nowhere in town that is 3/4 star to take visitors for tea, and Coles would just make sense unless Costco wants to come to town. But the council needs to do its part also and make the town appear clean, not the dingy looking town it is as this will not make people want to stay in the town and spend their money, and that is what it is all about. Spending money.

  5. Bunnings, KMart and Hungry Jacks please and please again. Been to Sizzlers lately, not that good.

  6. I think a Kmart would be great and if u talk to majority of people in the town u would find they have the same opinion. There is not enough options when it comes to affordable shopping for the average income earners. I think developers need to survey local people to see what is required and what would be well utilised

  7. Seems sad for all the family businesses in the area such as Wondai, Murgon & Proston also Nanango & south. There is only so much money to spend & with more big shops in Kingaroy there will be more empty shops in the smaller towns. Also I agree why use the good red soil that used to grow food? There is enough rubbish soil around Kingaroy to build on without taking the productive farm land.

  8. Mr Kratzmann who are you looking after? Is South Burnett looking up or is it just Kingaroy looking up??? Does the area need another tavern, fast food outlet, another service station, another shopping complex at the expense of local business already in the town? Does anyone in the upper echelons of council ever visit Wondai and see the vacant shops out here and the disgrace of the Wondai roads, even the ones that were completed last week. A better job could have been done. A little paint on the kerbing and guttering wouldn’t go astray either!

  9. It seems natural to have what everyone takes for granted elsewhere, eg. Coles, Dan Murphys, Hungry Jacks. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to include a different alternative that showcases the products of the South Burnett region, like a ye olde Australiana Market that offers all the produce made within the South Burnett. Butchery, Delicatessen, Local Wines and Beers, Artisan Bakery, Greengrocers (all locally grown) Restaurants, Coffee shops that use Fair trade and local produce. Also if they want to include products outside of the South Burnett for variety, they can include the other regions in Queensland and Australia. This would encourage local employment, local business ownership, and assist the local economy and support tourism of the many small towns of the South Burnett. It is just a thought that could be an opportunity that shouldn’t be wasted. A local feasibility study of the concept would be an important start. Interested local growers would need to be consulted. The concept is not new I grant you, but it is a chance it could create a ground swell of interest in the region that could have far wider benefits on all areas of the people of the South Burnett who live and work there.

  10. I must have Gremlins my e-mail vanished. The truth is ask yourself an honest question. First why would people want to move to country towns. Rates despite what we are told are expensive compared to larger Towns @ City’s Add to that a $200 road levy, a visitor from Bribie Island shocked at the cost of our rates and a huge difference between their property value and ours why. The Council do not encourage people who would like a tree change to our District, again Why they are not forward thinking. This is what we need to encourage the tree change. Reduce rates our property values are low STOP the Road Levy we did not want it was forced on us. Things would look up for the future of Towns more people more shopping. Tourism is Great but brings money in for a much smaller period, we cannot put the cart before the horse.

    • Rebecca – no your comment did not vanish. We did not publish it – as I explained to you in a private email – because you were talking about Goomeri – which is NOT in the South Burnett Regional Council area. it is unfair to blame South Burnett councillors for issues outside their region.

  11. Fair comment that trip was some years ago. But the visit by a Bribie Island Resident was today and in our South Burnett District. And we were asked about our rates in the South Burnett District and yes he was shocked found it very hard to believe, also asked about our Land Values he could not believe the difference, and when we then threw in a $200 Road levy Guess he will not be shifting here. I make no apology about comments about the South Burnett Council will not be changing my mind it is not forward thinking. Our local towns are paying the price again I say we need People to have a Tree change and that will not happen under these unfair conditions. And I am not trying to be negative trying to point out the real problem Wayne Kratzmann is talking about New Business an insult to the businesses that are forced to close through no fault of their own for example Bunya Mountains and am sure many others. Thank you again

  12. I have lived in the s.b. for 7 yrs. 90% of shops should be demolished. Mainly Kingaroy street. Bring on these new projects. The people that don’t want them would be the ones that don’t work or don’t want to work. Great for the region, creating jobs, and boosting the s.b. economy. Bring more jobs, reduce our rates and increase our population. Council needs to think about everybody, not just themselves. We were lied about the road levy. Time for young fresh blood.

  13. That’s ridiculous Peter Smith!!!!I’ve lived in the South Burnett my whole life. I’m also employed full time by a small business in the centre of town and my family are small business owners in the region and have been for the last 50+ years. Where do you think big companies take their profits? It’s certainly not spent in the area. It goes into the pockets of a CEO sitting on his backside in a city office somewhere. If more people supported our local business, then there would be more jobs. But while people take their business into other towns/cities, there is no ability for small business to increase employment in the region. I support family/small business in the region and so does my family. In turn we expect other small business and residents of the region to support our small business. What goes around comes around!

  14. Best idea ever for Kingaroy, we really need the new shops so that there is more space in the CBD. If this goes on Kingaroy may become a small city or at least a big town. The idea is going to boost the economy.

  15. I only support businesses where service is king, sadly Kingaroy is a terrible place for quality service. There are a dozen or so shops in town that are interested in being good at the service they provide. Opening hours is but one of the flaws the local businesses seem unable to understand. The township is full of people on a Saturday afternoon and a Sunday looking for places to spend their money, some of us actually work during business hours. It’s a no brainer! I welcome new shops, I welcome competition and with this comes accountability and improved service or the business just dies as it should, if it can’t provide quality service. Smile and be helpful and courteous for a start retailers, big and small.

  16. In relation to Target Country and Retravision, both stores have been in Kingaroy and both have now closed or closing their doors. The local people just need to shop locally and not go out of the area

  17. Why have more shops of the same? The town wont support the ones that we have and besides, there are Big End of Town people who travel away to do their shopping, getting the bare essentials locally yet advising us to shop local. Their excuse? Price, availability … or is it snobbery?

    I Would also like to throw in the mix for thinking: where is the plan for increasing our water supply for the increased population and industry?

  18. We are days off 2016 and Kingaroy is still waiting to see this development even begin. We are still looking at a couple of years before these shops will be available. I am praying for a K-Mmart – I’m from Sydney originally and I’ve realised you have to spend money to do anything, especially in Kingaroy

  19. Are we talking about the same Kingaroy where I live? Not sure, even in the near future there is enough in the retail revenue pie to effectively go around. National chains, I’m sure, have done due diligence on Kingaroy in the short to medium future and suggest that’s why they are not here already. Love the enthusiasm, but question the reality. Remember national chains have national focus and will select no-risk areas.

  20. Well, this is all very interesting, reading everyone’s pros and cons for a big and wonderful shopping precinct in Kingaroy.

    This is well and good. Kingaroy cannot support the shops that it already has (except of course the big ‘out of towners’ like Harvey Norman, BCF etc). The family-run shops etc are closing down because they cannot compete with these big organisations.

    Why do we need more shops?

    What Kingaroy REALLY NEEDS is another retirement village/nursing home facility to look after our aging population, and this type of thing would encourage more retirees to our region. This would naturally bring more money to our region also. That is my sixpenny worth anyway.

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