July 25, 2014
The South Burnett Regional Council will lift a number of “onerous” development conditions that apply to 19 blocks of land it owns at Boondooma Dam in an effort to make them more attractive to buyers.
The small residential estate on Boondooma Dam Lookout Road was created by the former Wondai Shire Council and launched in December 2006.
It comprised 22 fully serviced allotments with phone, water, sewerage, power and sealed roads.
Wondai Shire Council was confident the estate would appeal to visitors to its Lake Boondooma Tourist Park, which is located less than a kilometre away.
The allotments carried extensive building covenants which governed such things as maximum gross floor area, site coverage, heights, boundary setbacks, building materials and colours to ensure the development retained its high value. The lots were originally released onto the market at prices ranging from $69,500 through to $95,000.
However – almost eight years later – the majority still remain unsold.
At this month’s general meeting on Wednesday, the SBRC voted to lift the estate’s original building covenants and substitute normal building provisions instead.
Mayor Wayne Kratzmann told fellow councillors Wondai Shire Council had originally thought buyers would want to create city-style residences on the estate, but it seemed more likely the blocks would appeal to buyers who wanted weekenders.
The motion was carried unanimously.
