Past and present councillors split on $55m plan for Council’s Nambour admin building

Cr Law wants the $55 million council redevelopment of its Eddie De Vere building back in the budget.

Former councillor Greg Rogerson says Nambour has higher priorities than Council’s Eddie De Vere building.

by Cameron Outridge

Current and former Division 10 councillors are at loggerheads over a $55 million proposal to redevelop Sunshine Coast Council’s Nambour administration precinct — a project now shelved in the 2025/26 budget.

Cr David Law has called on Nambour’s business community to pressure Council to reinstate the project concerning the Eddie De Vere Building and library in next year’s budget, describing the redevelopment as “the biggest investment in Nambour and the hinterland since last century”.

Speaking at the Nambour Chamber of Commerce Coffee Catchup on August 7, Cr Law said the proposal — which included a new library, community meeting spaces, administrative office upgrades and a full streetscape overhaul at the corner of Bury and Currie streets — had been pushed back six years.

“Up until the budget of last month, we were going to start work on creating a new library, a new forecourt area, a full streetscape development as per Region Focus Area 4 in the revitalisation project,” Cr Law said. “It would have completely transformed the corner of Bury Street and Currie Street where the council building is.”

He said there was strong demand for improved community meeting infrastructure and called on business leaders to speak out.

“I encourage you to write to the mayor and the other councillors and say, ‘we want that back in next year’s budget’,” he said. “We need that back in our budget next year. I can’t do that on my own.”

But the $55 million price tag has sparked concern from former Division 10 Councillor Greg Rogerson, who believes the money could be better spent on more pressing local priorities.

“I really don’t think the community and business leaders of Nambour have been fully briefed,” Mr Rogerson said.

“The first time I heard that $55 million figure was when Cr David Law raised it at a round table meeting that Rhonda Billett (I am Nambour), Mark Bray (Chamber of Commerce President) and I had with him.”

That July 21 meeting followed Council’s decision to defer the project — a move reportedly triggered by a $20 million budget shortfall caused by a miscalculation in depreciation.

“I can’t understand the thinking. The building is fine as it is. I believe no one in Nambour was properly consulted or briefed on the proposal. Spending $55 million on the Council Chambers will do diddly squat to improve the business acumen and liveability within Nambour.”

Mr Rogerson also questioned Cr Law’s decision to vote in favour of the very budget that delayed the project, and for supporting what he described as an inadequate $1.05 million Nambour Place Plan streetscaping allocation.

“Nambour got a pittance!” he said.

Cr Law framed the redevelopment as vital to stimulating private investment and reversing perceptions of Council’s retreat from the hinterland.

“There is no other way to get this sort of investment in Nambour,” he said. “We need to look at this with a future mindset.”

While the larger redevelopment is on hold, Cr Law said work would still begin on the Nambour Place Plan this year, starting with Mill Street, and possibly extending to Currie Street in partnership with the State Government.

Cr Law said the broader redevelopment was intended to deliver a new district library, customer service centre, community spaces and updated offices for the remaining Council staff who were not relocated to the new City Hall in Maroochydore.

Critics have noted the project’s $55 million price tag comes in the wake of a budget that raised residential rates between 7.4 and 11.14 per cent, putting the Sunshine Coast among Queensland’s most expensive council areas.

Sunshine Coast Council has already spent $45.4 million on its Caloundra Chambers upgrade — up from an original $34.8 million — and $100 million on the Maroochydore City Hall, plus a further $20 million on a nearby carpark.

“Just because a huge amount of money was spent elsewhere – and spent poorly in my opinion – this doesn’t justify a spend of $55 million for something that would be at best ‘nice to have’,” Mr Rogerson said.

Ms Billett said she was surprised by the high figure but welcomed investment in the town. Mr Bray remained neutral.

Mr Rogerson said he would like to see improved facilities eventually but urged a focus on more immediate, practical investments to promote community pride and attract business.

“At present what we’ve got is quite adequate under the current financial circumstances,” he said. “Nambour needs projects undertaken now.”