Main picture: A digital interpretation of a potential “Coochin Fields“, which has been proposed for the Sunshine Coast.

Imagine the “little old Sunshine Coast” boasting a Coachella-style, Woodstock-esque outdoor festival and events space, attracting A-list global acts and a transient mix of music-loving, vibe seekers.

Predicted to be a live music mecca for southern Queenslanders, Coochin Fields is a proposed 150ha multi-use site able to host 35,000 people per day, rivalling international “unicorn” producers like Lollapalooza and Burning Man.

Pictured: Is this farmland at Coochin Creek, north of Brisbane, Australia’s next biggest festival and event site?

The vision is a bold new proposal from Brisbane hospitality giants and property developers, The Comiskey Group, a family-owned company responsible for iconic entertainment venues across South-East Queensland, including Sandstone Point, Eatons Hill and Imperial Hotels.

The Comiskey’s want to transform Coochin Creek, an hour north of Brisbane and just south of Caloundra, into one of Australia’s largest of its type. They say the project is a natural next step in their hospitality and venue portfolio, bringing in massive tourism dollars and jobs.

However, despite their financial forecast, and a 73-page traffic management plan, Coochin Fields has drawn criticism from community groups, who say it will clog up roads and hurt the environment.

Let’s break it all down for you, Ray Gun style.

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A Vision Of ‘Strawberry Fields’ And “Coachella-Style” Events

Photo: 2018 Coachella by Christopher Polk/GI for Coachella via Billboard.

The potential 150-hectare festival and event site at Coochin Creek, which was once a patchwork of turf and strawberry farms, has a poetic connection to The Beatles‘ iconic “Strawberry Fields Forever”. The name gives Coochin Fields imagery familiar in musical lore.

Under the plan, The Comiskey Group has proposed a multi-stage outdoor venue capable of hosting six “Coachella-style” events a year, and up to 35,000 people daily.

Originally submitted in October 2023, then resubmitted in June 2024, the application covers festival uses and an adjacent tourist park proposal with cabins and campsites.

The Coochin Fields proposal in a nutshell:

• 150ha world-class music and event site (approx. 22 football fields)
• Six “Coachella-style” large-scale events annually with daily crowds up to 35,000
• 682 forecasted jobs
• $71.3 million predicted to boost local economy
• Camping and caravan experiences
• Concerts, exhibitions and trade shows
• Supporting infrastructure (parking, access roads, toilets, emergency planning and utilities)
• Mixed-uses tailored to be a drawcard to the region

An artist’s impression by Open Architecture Studio of Coochin Fields released by The Comiskey Group in their development application.

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Who Are the Comiskey Group?

The Comiskey Group is a family-owned Queensland entertainment and hospitality business based in Brisbane. For more than two decades, the company — led by directors including Paul Comiskey and his sons Rob and David — has built a portfolio of award-winning venues and event spaces across South-East Queensland.

Pictured: PNAU perform at Sandstone Point.

They operate major music-friendly pubs and hotels including:

• Eatons Hill Hotel — a massive entertainment venue north of Brisbane
• Sandstone Point Hotel — a mix of live music stages, outdoor spaces and dining
• The Doonan and The Imperial Hotel (Eumundi) — other boutique music-centric venues

The group is also behind the planned Aura Hotel at Caloundra (pictured below), which they are touting will be the “largest live music venue in the Southern Hemisphere”. Crikey!

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Community Response: Petition and Opposition

For planners and conservationists, the Comiskey’s proposal raises questions about protecting green breaks, ecological values and infrastructure readiness in growth regions.

A petition against the Coochin Fields development has more than 6000 signatures, with a counter petition now also launched.

Key concerns raised in the opposing petition are:

• Environmental Damage: Threatens the ecologically sensitive Pumicestone Passage, a Ramsar wetland, and the Northern Inter-Urban Break greenbelt.
• Traffic Chaos: Funnels thousands of vehicles onto the Bruce Highway, Bells Creek Road, and Kawana Way, pushing them to breaking point.
• Safety Risks: The site is in a high bushfire intensity zone with inadequate evacuation plans via a single rural road.
• Planning Issues: Undermines regional planning and sets a dangerous precedent for development in protected areas.
• Noise & Pollution: Creates noise and light pollution for nearby residents and wildlife. 

Those in favour of the site say:

• For the music industry, Coochin Fields would be a landmark festival destination in South-East Queensland, filling a gap in large-scale outdoor event infrastructure.
• For the local economy, desperately-needed jobs and tourism would increase.
• For our cultural betterment, we’d see a more diverse curation of cultural offerings.

Pictured: The Comiskey Group’s first look at the renders for Coochin Fields.

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State Agency Assessment: Not a Clear Green Light

The State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) — the planning arm tasked with reviewing the proposal — recently released recommended refusal of both the festival and tourist park applications.

Their assessment emphasises there will be no major adverse community impact if the development does not go ahead, challenging the developer’s claims of economic benefit.

SARA concluded:

• There is no overriding public interest need for the development in this location.
• There’s no justification for placing it within the Northern Inter-Urban Break (NIUB) — a protected greenbelt designed to preserve ecological values and prevent urban sprawl.
• Significant concerns exist around environmental impact, bushfire risk, traffic, access and utility planning.
• Temporary infrastructure for water, waste and power requires more detail.

Deputy Premier Bleijie says he has written to The Comiskey Group requesting additional detailed information on economic claims, environmental management, traffic and safety matters, including bushfire evacuation and water/waste services.

Photo of Coochin Creek provided by the Sunshine Coast Environmental Council.

He has also sought justification for why the project should be located within the Northern Inter Urban Break (NIUB) greenbelt, a sentiment shared with the Sunshine Coast Environmental Council (SCEC), who have also been vocal about their stance on the project.

The Comiskey Group has indicated it is preparing further information and responses to the requests.

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The Planning Process So Far: Called-In and Under Review

State Government Planning Minister and Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie “called in” the Coochin Fields application in May-July this year. It means the application has now been taken over by the Queensland Government rather than Council, and the final decision cannot be appealed in the Planning and Environment Court.

The minister says the project could deliver major tourism and economic benefits for the region — jobs, visitors and economic growth. The developer’s economic impact estimates include 682 full-time jobs and a $71.3 million boost to gross regional product annually.

But while the site has state attention, it has also drawn intense scrutiny from the Queensland government itself.

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Australian Music Industry Facing Biggest Challenge

Whether Coochin Fields becomes a reality or not, the Australian music industry continues to face one of its most challenging economic times.

As the rising cost of living pushes prices up, festivals and venues continue to close up shop, including today’s announcement that The Station at Birtinya is closing.

Are private developers such as The Comiskey Group our only solution for the future of live music on the Sunshine Coast region?

What are your thoughts on the Coochin Fields development? Email us at editor@yelo.live with your name and suburb.