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Building & Construction

New Legana Primary School making headway: Jaensch

Construction of the new Legana Primary School is well underway, with steel and timber framing for the general learning area buildings largely completed and preparation of the slab for the administration building now in progress ... “The new school is expected to open its doors in 2025 to students from the Legana and Grindelwald areas": Minister for Education, Children and Youth, Roger Jaensch.

Haines slams housing call

Independent Federal Member for Indi Helen Haines has criticised the Labor government and the Coalition, after the major parties voted down her amendments to the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) Bill moved by Senator David Pocock in the Senate on Dr Haines’ behalf last on Wednesday. “The housing crisis is the biggest issue facing regional Australia yet it is a complete blind spot for this government,” Dr Haines said.

Bill will kickstart housing supply

Independent Federal Member for Indi, Helen Haines, introduced a Bill to Parliament this week to increase the amount of government housing funding that will go to regional Australia. The Unlocking Regional Housing Bill specifically addresses the housing crisis in regional, rural and remote Australia, by making funding easier to access and requiring the Minister to look at action so that at least 30 per cent of funding to go to regional, rural and remote Australia.

Holiday homes ‘not to blame’

Serena Kirby. Private homes rented as holiday accommodation are not the cause of Denmark’s housing shortage. The finding was revealed in Denmark Futures’ research over the past 18 months and presented at a community forum last month.

Modern markings echo ancient times

They contacted the Tarrangower Times to ask, “What’s with the markings on the stone wall outside the Maldon Masonic Centre?” Our immediate response was probably similar to yours, ‘What stone wall? What stone wall markings?’

Tiny homes make big impact in Gympie: Scanlon

Tenants have moved in to eight new tiny homes in Gympie, delivered to help ease housing pressures in the region. The factory-built homes were installed at GRAP, which was a joint project between the Queensland Government and Gympie Regional Council after floods devastated the town.

Government red tape holds back vital youth services

The delay in youth centres in the Barkly region has been a major talking point in the region of late ... The project was in dire straits, with a funding extension granted until 31 December due to planning issues with the sacred tree in its original plans ... The Youth Centre is going grey whilst the crickets are chirping, awaiting occupancy certification from the same department.

Fast-tracked approval for new homes in key areas: Malinauskas, Champion

New homes in key growth areas will be built quicker and approvals fast-tracked in the latest Malinauskas Government measure to tackle the housing crisis. South Australians building in greenfield areas will no longer require planning approval for new homes...

Quilpie liveability and business growth drives land sales

With land sales hitting an all-time high in Quilpie Shire, the vibrant local community is gearing up for a surge of new developments for both residential and industrial properties ... "I’m sure land hasn’t changed hands at such a rapid rate since Opal mining exploded in the region in the early 1900’s,” said Stuart Mackenzie, Mayor of Quilpie Shire Council.

House demolition numbers on the increase

Jen Melocco. Almost 100,000 homes have been knocked down during the past five years in Australia, with more expected in coming years. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 93,975 house demolitions were approved from March 2019 to March 2023.

Treelands tenders too expensive

Clarence Valley Council (CVC) staff have labelled three tenders for the redevelopment of the Treelands Drive Community Precinct as ‘higher than anticipated’ leaving councillors to vote on whether or not to reject the quotes and delegate to the General Manager to negotiate. The storied process of the Treelands Drive Community Precinct TDCP dates back to 2006, when council first identified the project.

Building company liquidated

Jess Liddy. Commercial building company Felmeri Homes has been liquidated. The appointed builder of the Wallaroo Shores resort development went into voluntary administration in May. Felmeri has debts of between $10 million and $20m owed to up to 35 organisations including site developer Copper Coast Investments (Monopoly Property Group) and Mobil Kadina ... MPG founder Ben Howard said the Wyndham Wallaroo Shores Resort was still progressing.

Coldstream Street medical centre in limbo

Yamba residents will continue to endure wait times of up to a month to see a doctor with the news the development of a medical centre, pharmacy and four units on Coldstream Street is in limbo, with no anticipated start date. A Development Application DA to build the medical centre, chemist and four residential units in the Yamba CBD was lodged by Brisbane based Go Ahead Enterprises Pty Ltd with Clarence Valley Council CVC in March 2021 and was approved by council in August 2021.

Chief Minister unveils new look for Nyinkka Nyunyu

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles unveiled concept designs for the Nyinkka Nyunyu Art and Culture Centre’s $10 million transformation in Tennant Creek yesterday. The investment is part of the Territory Labor Government’s Arts Trail initiative, which aims to make the Northern Territory a world-class tourist and cultural destination.

Trades claim they are owed $1 million on Uniting Yamba project

Trades contracted to work on the 50 apartment Uniting Yamba Road development say they are collectively owed about $1 million by embattled builder GCB Constructions. East Coast Access owner Nikole Hambly said last week they began pulling down scaffolding on the job site as they hadn’t been paid anything by GCB Constructions this year since January.

Plan to ease rent shortage

Patricia Gill. The upper level of heritage-listed Edinboro House is set for a $2.3 million redevelopment for 10 ‘micro’ apartments to ease Denmark’s shortage of rental housing. The charity, Denmark Futures Ltd, has an option to purchase the property expiring in October and awaits the outcome of Department of Communities funding applications for the project.

Helping with housing rural workers

The Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority is offering loans to help growers build small-scale rural workers’ accommodation. QRIDA Regional Area Manager for South East Queensland Brian Coe said providing accommodation for workers could give farm businesses a competitive edge with Australia’s low unemployment rate and rural housing shortage.

Construction of new cabins underway

West Wimmera Shire Council is pleased to announce that construction has commenced on the new cabins for the Kaniva Caravan Park. The new cabins are part of the 'Cabins Across the Wimmera Mallee: Strengthening the Visitor Economy' initiative, a collaboration between Council, the Wimmera Development Association, and Hindmarsh, Buloke, and Yarriambiack shires.

Housing expectations killing the bush

Despite the cheap price of land in the Wheatbelt, and the abundance of jobs, country towns are not being bowled over by first home buyers, so what’s going on? ... We are following the route that the rust belt States across America have experienced for the past 50 years as cities like Detroit has collapsed from 1.7m people in the 1950s to 700,000 today ... for the benefit of the National Party, Liberals and Labor if listening, here is a policy idea which you could run with at the next election.

Leeton’s Roxy development in limbo

Roxy Theatre project developers the Lloyd Group entered voluntary administration on Friday. Leeton Shire Council was telephonically advised at 11.30am that day that the Lloyd Group had gone into voluntary administration at 7am that morning. The Group has 59 state and local government projects under construction in Victoria and NSW.

Rules changed in bid to boost accommodation

Ancillary dwellings or granny flats and detached habitable rooms in the Denmark shire will be limited to 70sqm and 30sqm of outdoor living space ... The Shire wanted to streamline granny flat development in a effort to combat the growing rental crisis in the town.

Local architect goes on tour

The founder of a new regional-based architectural firm has been recognised for her innovative work in the field with a coveted national award ... Sarah Lebner returned to the area last year and started Cooee Architecture, a new regional practice based near Bringenbrong focusing on energy-efficient and low-carbon homes.

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