By Jolene Ogle
The Department of Main Roads has agreed to talk, but local charity Sunshine Butterflies is no closer to knowing who will foot the $30,000 infrastructure bill to allow safe access into their hobby farm.
Sunshine Butterflies founder and CEO Leanne Walsh recently received approval from council to develop their current site into a hobby farm where they can offer animal therapy to special needs residents in Noosa and the Sunshine Coast.
But the property is located on a 100km/h section of McKinnon Drive in Cooroibah, which means the charity has to shoulder the burden of costly roadworks to create a safe entrance into the site.
Speaking to Noosa Today outside council last month, Ms Walsh said she would ask the Department of Main Roads to pay for the expensive roadworks bill, because the services her charity provided already saved the government millions of dollars.
Member for Noosa Glen Elmes has also joined the discussion, calling on the department to reduce the speed limit from 100km/h to 80km/h in the hope of negating the need for a turning lane into the Sunshine Butterflies’ site.
A Transport and Main Roads spokesperson said expert engineering advice was that the development approval for this site, which would need wider road shoulders to allow motorists to pass turning vehicles safely, would be required whether the speed limit was 100km/h or 80km/h.
“A recent review of the speed limit along McKinnon Drive recommended the 100km/h speed limit remain in place,” the spokesperson said.
“However, TMR representatives are happy to meet with Sunshine Butterflies and Mr Elmes to work through these issues.“
Both Mr Elmes and Ms Walsh said they were yet to hear from the Department of Transport and Main Road to begin discussions on a solution.
