General News
1 September, 2026
Gordonvale green light
A NEW Gordonvale Social Club would open the door to a long-awaited facility for a population that is going “gangbusters”, Cairns Regional Council has heard.
In supporting an application to divide a Draper Road lot into two and use one for the development, Division 1 Cr Brett Moller said it was an offering that had not been available in Gordonvale - “that of a licenced social club with a bistro, bars, pokies and child centre”.
“We have to get on the Bruce Highway, go to Edmonton or Cairns, and I’ve long advocated that in terms of lifestyle, Gordonvale, Babinda and that southern corridor needs to grow organically and have those lifestyle options down there,” he said.
“What’s important, I think, for people to understand, is we’ve got an economic needs analysis within this report, and what it showed in 2024 is the Gordonvale catchment topped over 10,000 people.
“Gordonvale currently is absolutely going gangbusters at the moment in terms of residential development and commercial development.”
The proposed club would include a lobby, office and staff areas; bar, bistro and café areas; a kids play area; and a gaming room; and will have 161 on-site car parking spaces.
A report to council, said the club was in an area surrounded by a mixture of residential, commercial and recreational facilities and would be sited on the intersection of two major roads.
The second lot on the site will be used for residential homes.
Eight submissions were received from the public, three supporting and five opposed to the development. Objections included stormwater drainage, noise, traffic and road safety, public safety, antisocial behaviour, and lack of residential land.
Cr Mollor asked for clarification on non-compliance issues raised in the council report over stormwater capacity. A council manager said it was “common practice” to accept a storm water management plan in principle, and then “through the detailed design and operational works phase, the plan be resubmitted and updated if anything changes with regards to stormwater”.
In terms of residential land development in Gordonvale, Cr Moller had counted about 1,800 lots “either online, coming online, or currently being built”.
“In addition to that, we’ve got Ingenia with 380 or 379 lots in close proximity,” he said.
The report also outlined conditions required for the development which dealt with the public objections, including a restriction on opening hours from 10 to midnight.
Cr Cathy Zeigler also clarified that the club was not an RSL sub-branch project but was being backed by the Cairns RSL Club Pty Ltd, which was a “name only”.
The Gordonvale RSL sub-branch was a separate identity.
“It is important that the public are not misled. Now, thankfully, the venue will be called the Gordon Vale Social Club,” she said.
Cr Rob Pyne said he would support the project but questioned the level of planning on the western side of the highway, and the impact it was having on the old Gordonvale town centre.
“There’s so much happening on that western side of the highway. I don’t see much happening in the old town centre.”
A council officer said the issue was “not lost on the planning department”, and the old town would be a focus in longer term planning reviews.
The application was approved unanimously.
