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Byron Shire
March 28, 2024

Byron Council sees Roundhouse as cash cow

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For those looking for clues as to how Byron Council plans to balance its budget, a ‘confidential’ staff report on subdividing the Ocean Shores Roundhouse site will debated at the upcoming April 18 Council meeting.

It’s anticipated that the sale of the subdivided land could provide much needed cash to Council’s dwindling coffers, estimated to be short about $10m in this year’s budget.

But community groups the Roundhouse Action Group (RAG) and Ocean Shores Community Association (OSCA) have called on the new councillors to ‘keep their word made at the Ocean Shores Community Centre prior to the Council election and not subdivide the Roundhouse site’.

The Council owned property, which sits prominently overlooking the beach and golf club, has a long history; late last year the Roundhouse Action Group (RAG) presented what it claimed was a revenue positive business model.

It advocated a public cultural building, incorporating a gallery, museum, theatre, cinema, restaurant and archival space. ‘This can be done as a long term project without putting an economic burden on the Council,’ Jan Mangleson from RAG said.

Staff recommendations remain confidential; however, the summary from the agenda says that in April 2012 Council advised the Ocean Shores Country Club (OSCC) that it would not proceed with the joint 13 lot Roundhouse site development and instead brokered a new agreement with the club for easements ‘associated with Council progressing its own 11 lot Roundhouse subdivision’.

‘The purpose of this report is to advise Council that a new agreement has been finalised and to report the matter to Council prior to seeking tenders for the works associated with construction of the subdivision.’

The confidential report will be tabled on Thursday.


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2 COMMENTS

  1. The entire site, as originally planned, and the 2 adjoining parcels should be purchased outright for community use, from council and the golf club.

    Then the site could be used to community benefit and council & golf club would not be financially challenged.
    Keep in mind, the original plan going back many years was for an arts space/gallery there.

    The need for a strong year around space to steadily showcase & rent & sell local art is getting a great deal more critical now.
    Why have so many train in the arts here, and then force them all to move away or show work out of the area only??
    We have so many great creative people here, and no public space where local artists can show their work reliably year around. Commercial galleries are very small, and do not do this. Also, the Tweed facility is basically an education /workshop format that only occasionally shows a bit of local arts.

    The children here, along with more developed artists, need this space to continue living and working here…a vision seen long ago and now ignored.

    Its time to talk with Richard Branson and other interested finance people to both get this site up for community use as first planned, and to get both current short visioned council and the golf club off the financial hook and out of the way for the betterment of everyone. Set some fair prices and lets get cracking for our community..please.

    Secret meetings at council won’t do it, nor will “lots”, as there are better lots at better prices unsold already, and council will get eaten alive for another loss with no site income and loans to cover..by ratepayers.
    A plan has already been made that is self supporting instead, for community use. Its stupid to ignore these facts and make a huge risk to increase council debt..something council is very good at, unfortunately.

  2. For over 20 years I’ve returned to the area I still call home. My children are now self-sufficient & happy for me to return permanently to my home. In that 20+ years I have yet to see any real positive changes in the Ocean Shores, Brunswick Heads, Mullumbimby zones relative to Byron Shire’s Council. Byron Bay is a different story. I really think it’s time for Byron Shire Council to justify the funds contributed in the form of ‘rates’. A $10 mil short fall is a joke considering the collective rates of those 3 communities. I live in Perth with every conceivable facility available for what I consider to be reasonable rates. That includes a beautiful road system flush to the curbs, Public transport every 15 minutes, schools, hospitals, Dr’s etc. Rates are based on the value of your property. A farmer in Mullumbimby’s rates would have increased dramatically due to the rise in values in the area. Not because farmers have increased their profit margins. How does the shire justify a short fall of $10 mil when there has been very little council involvement in the area. My brother & his fiancé lost their lives years ago due to neglect of road side verges. The grass was cut down immediately. I see these blind spots on every minor road in the area, except Byron Bay. Rates are meant to support the facilities of the residential communities, not the tourists. Tourism takes care of itself.
    I would like the Council to justify their expenditure for the past year & provide a menu explaining their future expenditure ‘hopes’. One year at a time to start with, so the community can approve what they feel is a priority. Instead of griping about needing funds & hocking off anything they can find, why not motivate the community to get on board with prioritising what they want from their council. Give the people the opportunity to decide what’s important.
    I see the sale of the Round House as one step away from going to a Loan Shark, and we know that’s always a bad idea. What are you going to sell next? Everyone in the area has been forced to tighten their belts & be more accountable for their expenses. It’s time the Council did the same.

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