Public consultation has opened for a proposed function and short-stay accommodation venue on a 20-hectare rural property at Cedar Creek Road, Gheerulla, in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, with submissions accepted until February 23.
The proposal seeks approval to establish a function facility, six campsites, and four cabins as part of plans to formalise operations under the name Cedar Banks.
The development application was lodged in December 2024 after the Sunshine Coast Council issued a compliance notice in November 2024 alleging the site was being used for events and camping through the Hipcamp platform.
In May 2025, the council requested further information. The applicants, Hayden Marshall and Kate Dyce, submitted their response through Adapt Planning on January 20. The application is now publicly notified.
A town planning report prepared by Adapt Planning states the applicants’ aim to formalise Cedar Banks as a venue for weddings and events with on-site guest accommodation. “The proposal will support the highly regarded Sunshine Coast wedding venue market in a pristine natural setting, where farm and rainforest collide,” the report says.
“The proposed development will make a positive contribution to the local economy, supporting caterers, party hire, and event staff.”
The response to the council’s information request outlines that the rural-zoned venue would operate under a detailed management plan. A maximum of 100 patrons would be permitted on site at any one time. Music would cease by 9:45 pm, with all guests required to leave by 10 pm. Sixteen on-site car parking spaces are proposed, with shuttle services and capped parking intended to manage traffic impacts.
The proposal limits the venue to no more than one event per week with more than 50 guests. Other events would be restricted to micro-weddings and elopements. Events would not occur on consecutive days, except for elopements of up to 10 people, and would typically run for about four hours. No other business operations would take place during events, according to the Sunshine Coast News.
On non-event days, short-stay accommodation would be capped at 64 guests, including up to 50 across the six campsites and 14 within four cabins. An on-site manager would be present at all times to oversee access, with entry limited to pre-approved guests and vendors under signed venue hire agreements.
The proposed function facility would have a floor area of 161 square metres, including a partially open space and enclosed amenities such as bathrooms, a storeroom, and a cool room.
According to the town planning report, the November 2024 compliance notice followed a trial period involving family, friends, marketing, and photography activities. The Hipcamp listing for the property contains 19 reviews dated between October 2023 and January 2025.
On its Facebook page, Cedar Banks confirmed the development application process remains underway.
“We are currently seeking development approval from the Sunshine Coast Council to operate a venue and campgrounds. We are therefore presently unable to conduct tours or accept bookings. An update will be posted when the council has made a decision on our DA,” the page states.
For outdoor hospitality operators, the application highlights the increasing scrutiny on rural event-based accommodation models marketed through online platforms, and the importance of aligning trial operations, event caps, traffic management, and noise controls with local planning schemes before scaling activity.
The outcome of the consultation period may offer guidance for other regional operators considering hybrid wedding, glamping, and campsite offerings within rural zones.