General News
5 May, 2026
Green light for asset disposal
THE disposal of a number of land parcels and buildings is set to begin after Tablelands Regional Council gave the green light to start selling the public assets.
At its meeting last week, council approved the disposal of two buildings – the Hallorans Hill Observation building and the Ravenshoe Judo Hall - and 24 land lots as part of its divestment program aimed at reducing council’s maintenance costs and putting it in a sound financial position to fund critical infrastructure.
The Hallorans Hill building will go to public tender in the hope someone will lease the facility, while the judo hall, which is no longer used, will also go to tender to be removed from the land.
Among the land parcels to be disposed of are: a lot in Kelly Street, which will be gifted to the Atherton Community Kindergarten to expand its outdoor recreational space; a lot in Jackson Street, Atherton, which will be sold to the adjoining landholder; and a lot in Centenary Drive, Atherton, which will be partly sold and partly dedicated as road reserve.
The remainder of the 24 lots are vacant land in Herberton, Kairi, Ravenshoe, Millaa Millaa and Tolga – all to go under the hammer.
The Tom Johnson Park in Kairi was also on the list for sale until Cr Maree Baade moved to change the officer’s recommendation to remove the land in Irvine Street.
Council will now undertake consultation with the community before any further action is taken.
Council also resolved not to sell 2 Minna Street, Herberton and, instead, dedicate the land as road reserve for public use.
Another parcel of land at Vance Close, Barrine, will also not be sold and, instead, be retained as public park and recreation reserve.
Another batch of assets including 13 buildings and 19 land parcels will now be the subject of community consultation before any further decision is made on their future.
The other land parcels are mostly vacant land in Mt Garnet, Atherton, Malanda, and Herberton.
Two lots are listed as recreation reserve – one at 7-9 Coral Street, Millaa Millaa, and one in Beta Street, Ravenshoe.
Earlier in the meeting, Mayor Rod Marti moved to explain and defend the council’s divestment program.
“We have more than 700 built assets in a local government area that has 13,500 ratepayers,” he said.
“This means that every 19 ratepayers are funding a built asset, without taking into account their existing commitments to our road network, rubbish collection and disposal, public toilets, libraries, parks – then there’s electricity and water and, of course, the additional major upgrades to many of these assets as they age.
“We have a footprint of 11,000 square kilometres, while a LGA like Ipswich has just 1000 square kilometres.
“Many of our 150 community groups seek and receive assistance from council in various ways.
“The numbers don’t stack up – ratepayers simply can’t afford to continue to own and restore everything. Since amalgamation of the three former shires in 2008, TRC has never conducted an asset review.
“Since 2008, we have added to these assets but not strategically assessed the many inherited assets that are now seriously aged.”
He said there were many options on how a built asset may be divested including:
retaining the building and committing to funding its maintenance;
selling the building to a relevant community group;
giving the building to a community group;
giving it back to the State or get State approval to give the building to a community group;
a long-term lease;
the decommissioning of the building withholding the maintenance until the end of its life;
or demolishing the building.
He said land parcels to be sold were mostly vacant lots that could not only provide much-needed housing options, but also revenue from the sales and savings from council not having to mow the vacant land.
