Retirement dream fades for Don | Fraser Coast News | Local News in Fraser Coast

Don and Hazel Macdonald, at Bouganvillia Dell Nursery, who had planned to sell their property to developer Shane Stewart.

Jocelyn Watts

SEVENTY-eight-year-old Don Macdonald heard Brisbane developer Shane Stewart’s words “that’s the end of it for us” and saw his retirement dreams of four years bite the dust.

Farmer and nursery owner Mr Macdonald’s hopes rested on the $300 million Della Vista Lakes project at Granville, knocked on the head by a 7-3 councillor vote last month.

“I’d planned, with my wife Hazel, who has worked like two men here for years, to sell our 470-acre property to Mr Stewart.

“But after four years and Mr Stewart spending $750,000 to try to get this development through, it’s over and I still don’t understand why.

“I asked the town planning department woman across the counter why they didn’t just say no go right at the beginning and she said ‘that just happens’.

“Make sure you print this. These councillors keep telling us in your paper what a good job they’re doing and yes, a couple are but the rest are a mob of bloody gutless wonders just standing there useless while Maryborough is bypassed.”

Mr Stewart said yesterday there was “something seriously wrong in the town planning department in particular of this council”.

“In the very beginning they told us they were excited by our plan to create retirement units, residential allotments and group housing,” Mr Stewart said.

“They’re on shifting sand in there all the time and you just can’t find a firm footing.

“Come back to do business on the Fraser Coast? Never never never ever.”