RES Invites Interest From Motels

A block of cleared land adjacent to Warren Truss Drive in the Kingaroy Airport precinct has been proposed for the temporary work camp … RES is now reaching out to local accommodation providers to supply extra capacity, with payment guaranteed even if it is not used

November 9, 2026

South Burnett accommodation providers – some of whom have been leading the campaign against the proposed work camp near Kingaroy Airport – have been invited by wind farm developer RES to house people linked to the project.

Tarong West Wind Farm developer RES has invited expressions of interest from existing South Burnett motels, hotels and other accommodation operators to provide details about their rooms.

Under the proposal, providers would reserve an agreed number of rooms for the project in return for guaranteed revenue.

When those rooms were not needed by the project, the accommodation providers would remain free to fill them with other guests.

The expressions of interest must be submitted by Friday, November 20.

These extra rooms would be in addition to the proposed temporary accommodation facility which RES hopes to build near the airport.

At their Special General Meeting on November 4, South Burnett councillors deferred a decision on the application for a development permit for the work camp.

Council staff are currently working on an assessment report which will be presented at a future council meeting.

A RES spokesperson said the expression of interest for extra rooms was intended to capture all available local accommodation capacity throughout the wind farm construction period.

“Local accommodation providers have advised that approximately 110 rooms are currently expected to be available; however, if additional capacity is developed and becomes available within the required timeframe, the EOI would also apply to those additional rooms,” the spokesperson said.

RES expects to need a significant number of rooms for project staff, contractors and specialist personnel, with demand starting from late March 2027 and growing as construction ramps up.

“Local accommodation providers have told us they want a real stake in this project, and this is a direct response to that,” RES Lead Project Manager Toby Coates said.

“We want to give operators certainty of income over the life of the wind farm’s construction period, without asking them to give up control of their business or turn away their regular guests.

“Whether you run a small operation or a larger complex, we’d like to hear from you.”

RES is seeking interest from providers who can set aside a dedicated number of rooms, offer accommodation suited to construction and project personnel, and provide meals and other facilities that workers commonly need.

The arrangements may extend over several years.

Minimum standards include clean, well-maintained rooms, air conditioning and heating, wi-fi, parking, weekly housekeeping and compliance with health and safety regulations. Private rooms with
en suites would be preferred.

The EOI is the first stage of a two-stage process.

Providers who register interest will receive a detailed Request for Proposal package on November 30, setting out the commercial model, accommodation standards, service requirements and pricing framework.

Responses to the second stage would be due in December.

“The EOI forms part of RES’s overall workforce accommodation plan, which combines local accommodation providers with a dedicated temporary facility for the project’s peak workforce,” Mr Coates said.

“Every room booked locally keeps money in the South Burnett. We want local businesses to benefit from this project for years to come.”

Accommodation providers who want to register interest have been invited to email RES by November 20 with their business name and contact details, the location of the accommodation, the total number of rooms, how many could be allocated to the project, a brief overview of facilities and services, and any extra capacity that can be offered.

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