Have your say - Short-term Accommodation Amendment

Consultation results and next steps

We thank the community for having their say on the Whitsunday Planning Scheme Short-term Accommodation Amendment!

The amendment proposed the introduction of new benchmarks for Short-term Accommodation (STA) in the Low-Density Residential zone to refine the balance of managing STA accommodation options and resident impacts.

Please view our Consultation summary or detailed Consultation report. Key feedback included:

• The amendment received general support for clarifying intent and protecting the character of dormitory residential suburbs, while recognising STA’s value for visitor experience, events and tourism industry.
• Feedback was mixed on restrictions— some seeking tighter controls, whilst others favoured fewer limits to boost investment.
• Key concerns included residential amenity, red tape, property management and stronger compliance.
• Several locations were identified for exclusion or inclusion from STA precincts, that may be subject to further investigation.

Council will consider consultation results when deciding upon next steps for Whitsunday Planning Scheme Short-term Accommodation Amendment at an upcoming Council meeting on 29 October 2025.

We are proposing amendments to the Whitsunday Planning Scheme 2017 relating to Short-term accommodation, and we want to hear from you!

Our Region is a popular destination for visitors, many of whom choose holiday home-style accommodations, which can conflict with permanent residents, from an amenity and housing supply perspective.

To refine the balance of managing diverse visitor accommodation options and resident impacts, Council intend amend the Whitsunday Regional Council Planning Scheme 2017 to include additional assessment benchmarks for Short-term accommodation within dwellings in the Low density residential zone. The benchmarks aim to:

• Identify 10 precincts where Short-term accommodation may be supported in the Low density residential zone, removing support in all other locations zoned Low density residential - see proposed precinct maps or online mapping
• It applies to Short-term accommodation (STA) within a Dwelling, Dual occupancy or Multiple dwelling, defined as:

‘The use of one or two, existing or proposed Dwellings for short-term accommodation for tourists for a temporary period of time not exceeding three consecutive months.’

View an excerpt of the proposed amendment, fact sheets and STA precinct mapping for more information. View the full Planning Scheme here.