Woombye told to accept telco tower despite years of opposition

Despite overwhelming opposition the tower will be situated at 1–9 Campbell Street. 

A telecommunications tower overwhelmingly rejected by Woombye residents, community leaders and Sunshine Coast councillors is now set to be built just one block from the town’s main street after a five-year battle over its location.

Waveconn Operations Pty Ltd and Sunshine Coast Regional Council (SCRC) reached agreement in the Planning and Environment Court on September 29, clearing the way for a revised tower at 1–9 Campbell Street. 

The compromise reduces the proposed monopole from 30m to 25m, with antennas taking its approved overall height to 26.34m.

But for Woombye, the outcome is a bitter one.

Of 443 properly made submissions received by Council during public consultation, 440 opposed the development. When councillors considered the application in July 2025, they voted 10–1 to refuse it. Council planning officers had also recommended refusal, finding the proposal conflicted with the planning scheme, would adversely affect rural character and visual amenity and had not demonstrated an overriding community need.

Waveconn appealed that decision the following month, sending the dispute to the Planning and Environment Court.

Woombye Community and Business Association president Milo Frawley, who joined the proceedings as a co-respondent by election, said Council’s legal advisers ultimately had concerns about its prospects of winning the case outright. If Council had lost, the Gazette understands it may have been responsible for Waveconn’s legal fees. 

Mr Frawley said he could not say Council would necessarily have lost, but believed accepting a reduced tower was a prudent outcome rather than risking costs and the original proposal proceeding unchanged.

“I accept the compromise and appreciate that it was probably prudent to take the win in the form of a shorter tower and some other minor modifications,” Mr Frawley said.

“I appreciate all the effort by the SCRC to stop this tower from being erected. I appreciate the SCRC legal service are experts in this field and ‘read the room’ better than I or most anyone else could.”

The dispute dates back to 2021, when an initial application was lodged for a 40m tower. Strong community opposition followed and that proposal was withdrawn before councillors voted on it.

Waveconn returned in October 2023 with a new application for a 30m monopole, reaching 31.34m with antennas.

At a Woombye Community and Business Association meeting in February 2024, 24 of the 25 people attending opposed the Campbell Street location.

Waveconn has argued additional infrastructure closer to Woombye is required to provide reliable 5G services, particularly for Optus customers.

The community’s objection, however, has consistently centred on the location rather than opposition to improved telecommunications services.

Federal telecommunications provisions can also allow qualifying extensions to existing towers of up to a cumulative 5m under certain circumstances without the usual local planning process, adding to concerns about the structure’s potential future height.

Surveying has already begun at the Campbell Street site.

For Mr Frawley, the case leaves a larger question about how much influence a town can ultimately have over development within its own community.

“I accept the decision. But it troubles me that the Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme (2014) established to guide all comers can be disregarded. I am troubled that a community that overwhelmingly does not want this structure on that location can be disregarded. I am troubled that a Council can refuse a proposal by 10 votes to 1 and can be disregarded. It is very hard for me to understand.”