A building historically used as the Burnett Shire Council chamber has been sold, but its new purpose will keep community outcomes front and centre.
Located at 160 Hughes Road, Bargara, in recent years the property found a new purpose as the AgTech Hub offering collaborative leasing opportunities to support innovation and advancement of the agricultural industry.
However, its sale was ultimately determined to be the best value-for-money outcome for the Bundaberg Region community due to ongoing costs and limited community use.
Council called for tenders for the purchase of the property last year and assessed submissions not only against the highest price but also the ongoing community use and benefit of the site.
Mayor Helen Blackburn said she was pleased to announce that the building’s contribution to the community was far from over after Port Curtis Coral Coast Limited (PCCC) won the tender.
“This is a significant and well-positioned building that has so much potential, and we’re so pleased to know that, in the hands of PCCC, it will better meet this potential in the future and continue to be used to benefit our community,” Mayor Blackburn said.
“Council has taken a microscope to its financial operations to ensure we’re achieving the best value-for-money for our community – and this decision is evidence of that.
“We’re reducing ongoing costs and have worked with a great community organisation to see the building continue its proud history of serving the region’s residents.”
FNBGGGTB Group CEO Matthew Cooke said the acquisition was a major investment for the group that they were excited to celebrate in conjunction with 50 years of NAIDOC Week.
“I’m proud as Group CEO to not only celebrate alongside community but make sure that this acquisition is seen as something that we celebrate as legacy for the next 50 years to come,” Mr Cooke said.
“[160 Hughes Road is] a great property, it’s got a great identity in the region.
“It’s got a great amount of space to not only meet our current needs but more so our future needs.”
Mr Cooke said it was a story of self-determination and action.
“We’ve used Aboriginal decision-making by Traditional Owners to make very strong and smart investments,” he said.
“We were very grateful that we heard that good news that we were successful in that [tender process], but more importantly that our community – that our people – are successful in that, because this will be their place to call home.”
While the FNBGGGTB Group will use the facility for its headquarters, the building will also retain existing tenants such as the Burnett Mary Regional Group (BMRG) and also look to incorporate other commercial operators.
The sale of the building settled on 1 July 2026.
Building history
The unique asset was constructed in 1997 and originally designed to serve as the administration offices for the former Burnett Shire Council.
Featuring a single-storey, rendered brick building, the property encompasses approximately 2,736 square metres of floor space.
The building is one of a kind in the Bargara area. Zoned ‘community facilities’, it lends itself to opportunities for a range of industries.
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