Plans are moving forward on the site of a major Sunshine Coast agritourism venture that will prove to be “the missing link” connecting coastal visitors to hinterland producers.
Sunshine Coast Council granted development approval in May last year to Barns Lane Farm – set to become one of the largest tourist destinations in the region.
The unique sustainable and eco-friendly development is set on 6.8 hectares, flanking the Sunshine Motorway at the entrance to Coolum, only two kilometres from the beach.
While founders and directors Helen and Jason Grant and Jonathan Leishman aim to showcase a collection of rural-oriented experiences and promote paddock-to-plate foodie offerings, the multi-faceted project will have something for everyone once completed.
The nature lovers and experienced property developers will bring together an eclectic mix – including a brewery and distillery, restaurant, entertainment stage and venue, produce hall, farm animals and playground – to draw all ages and interests to the working farm.
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The Produce Hall, trading seven days a week, with various short-term kiosks and permanent stallholders, will feature farm goods, artisan products and fresh fruit and vegetables, with a focus on regionally sourced food and produce.
Its grand design will feature exposed trusses as a nod to the grand produce halls of bygone years, with natural ventilation and stunning garden views.
Future stages will include a total of 11 light industrial sheds for food and primary production activities, along with more than three hectares of orchards and growing beds, farm tours and aquaculture ponds on the land that was once earmarked for a Bunnings store.
Stage 3 boasts a a 26-room boutique hotel and a 150-seat function venue.
But the development has had its setbacks.
The Barns Lane Farm August newsletter to supporters lamented that the significant rise in construction prices in recent times, coupled with increasing costs of financing, had necessitated a pushback on the initial late-2023 opening of Stage 1.
“These two factors created the need for the Barns Lane team to dig deep as we faced substantial challenges with getting a start on site,” the newsletter reported.
“We took a hard look at what needed to change in the base design and what could be delivered as a future stage. That has meant we have had to ‘go back to the drawing board’, literally, with a redesign.
“Thankfully, council have been supportive of this approach, and we received our changed development approval in late February.”
Mr Grant told Sunshine Coast News this week that the new launch was earmarked for late 2024, with McNab the preferred builder.
The attraction would still be completed in three stages, with a “substantial” first stage to include a restaurant, brewery, distillery, the Produce Hall, main lawn, farm animals, playground, bandstand and growers’ beds.
Mr Grant confirmed that as a passion project of the directors, Barns Lane Farm was still progressing well.
“We are starting early works on site as the lead-in to permanent works,” he said.
“We expected to be well into delivery by now. But there was just some things that we had to go back and readdress. We have found our way through that.”
Mr Grant said the existing dwelling on site recently had been demolished and removed, and workers were preparing to receive topsoil that would then be processed and improved, using local expertise, to become a better-quality growing medium.
“What we do first is the bulk earthworks and getting the levels across the site correct,” he said.
“The main lawn with the view down to the bandstand needs to have some elevation across it and the growing beds also need to have some elevation for irrigation to work properly.
“That bulk earthworks happens and then the paddock topsoil – that improved soil – will get moved into those orchards and growing bed locations.
“The reason we’re starting on that soil now is because we wanted to have all the right microbes and all the right nutrients in it naturally to be ready to grow.
“We’re really working to try and make sure that’s a natural composted process and not an add-chemical process.”
Mr Grant said that once those early works were completed, the builder could start pouring slabs for the many large, single-storey buildings across the site.
“Given the size of the site, the builder has got great opportunity to stage and have different aspects occurring at the same time,” he said.
“But there are pieces that will come at a later date. Platforms that to go down to the ponds, for example, will come later. The cocktail bar will come later.”
Mr Grant said the Sunshine Coast hinterland boasted “fabulous agritourism experiences” but, sadly, they remained unknown to the bulk of tourists coming to the region.
“Barns Lane Farm will certainly become the connection between those hinterland producers and the coastal tourists,” he said.
“At present, that connection is missing. There’s some fabulous agritourism experiences in the hinterland but tourists just don’t know about them.
“They don’t have a means to connect. We see that Barns Lane Farm will be that connection where people will come, meet those producers, see the products and be able to leave with their day trip planned … through the hinterland.
“It’s broadening that economic base on the Sunshine Coast.
“That dispersal of tourists from that coastal strip back into that fabulous hinterland will be something that Barns Lane Farm has a part to play in.
“We talk about a rising tide lifting all ships. It aligns with what council and FAN (Food and Agribusiness Network) and Visit Sunshine Coast are doing to establish a brand for the Sunshine Coast region as an agritourism destination.”
Mr Grant is excited to share each new milestone with the public as partners and businesses come on board.
“Who’s going to be the restaurateur? The butcher? It’s turning out to be a cast of thousands,” he said.
Tenancies for the produce hall are open now. Visit barnslanefarm.com.au or call 0490 220 854.
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