by Janine Hill

ABOUT 200ha of land bought by the Sunshine Coast Council for hinterland sports facilities remains unused while clubs look for ovals and courts.

Ten years ago, the council announced it had bought 100ha of land in two parcels fronting Diddillibah Road, Woombye, to meet the sporting and recreational needs of the growing population in the Nambour, Woombye and Palmwoods areas.

However, former councillors Jenny Mackay and Greg Rogerson, who were both on council at the time of the Woombye purchase, are wondering when that land will be used for its intended purpose.

The council did not provide a timeframe for the Bli Bli or Woombye sports faciltiies when the Gazette submitted an enquiry, instead offering the following statement by a spokesperson:

“These parcels of land were purchased by Council for $2.28 million for future sport and recreation purposes.  Council is investigating the feasibility and costs of developing the sites.”

Fields would relieve pressure

Ms Mackay, former president of the Sunshine Coast Show Society, said the Woombye sports grounds were needed to take some of the pressure off the Nambour Showgrounds.

The showgrounds are currently the home of Nambour Cricket Club and Ms Mackay said they were also used by other sporting groups.

“We need the sports precinct so it can provide space for some of the activities at the showgrounds,” she said.

“Now they’ve made the showgrounds the events centre for the Sunshine Coast, it starts to stop activities that were normally able to occur there.”

The Nambour Cricket Club was forced to reschedule matches one weekend this season to make way for a dog festival at the showgrounds.

Club president Steven Ledger was aware the council had long-term plans to relocate cricket and other sports to a multi-sports facility at Diddillibah Road but he could not see that happening for some time.

“I don’t think they can afford it at the moment. I think there’s a lot bigger issues at the moment than building a sports facility.”

He said the grounds were big enough although the club would need more room if it was to grow in the future.

Mr Rogerson said the cricket club should not be relocated until equivalent facilities were available elsewhere and questioned the lack of progress with the Woombye multi-sports grounds.

“It’s been four years since Jenny and I were in council and still nothing’s happened,” he said.

“If you want the showgrounds to flourish and provide added events, you need to do something about developing land for these clubs to use. 

“It will be a number of years before residents will see facilities coming out of the ground and there remains a great deal of planning and funding to be sought before this project officially commences.”

In 2022, the council announced it had also bought 97ha of land on Godfrey’s Road, Bli Bli, for future sport and recreation purposes.

The Bli Bli purchase was accompanied by a warning that it would be “a number of years” before residents would see facilities come out of the ground.