An artist impression of the redevelopments. At a Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council meeting on March 30, Councillors agreed with placing a draft Dog on the Tuckerbox Masterplan on Public Exhibition, inviting submissions from stakeholders, the community and all interested parties.
According to Council, the Masterplan will be available at the Gundagai Chambers early May, with an exhibition period of a minimum of 28 days. From that, findings, results and comments will be reviewed at a CGRC meeting later that month. A major component of the Masterplan had to address some of Council’s needs and this includes preserving DOTT as a public monument as well as enhancing it. Additionally, historical ruins must be preserved, public amenities must be provided and planning requirements for the site must be addressed. If the Masterplan goes ahead, developers will have ownership of the site apart from the public spaces and they will be able to invest money needed to enhance it. CGRC General Manager Phil McMurray said it could be in the sum of around $10 to $15 million worth of investment.
“That sort of investment is going to see the site drive forward for 100 years and more, especially since Council is not in the financial position of that sort,” he said. Mr McMurray added that a staged development meant operations will continue to go ahead, despite works on it. “They’ll build Stage One which will allow the exisiting operation to continue. Then they will knock over the old facilities and build Stage Two,” he said. There are a total of 17 items in the staged development and some new amenities includes a restaurant, DOTT Deli, DOTT RV Park, kids playground, open-space areas, commercial areas, accommodation and boutique hotels, as well as function centres. It could take up to four years for work to be completed and a minimum of 18-months before construction will commence.
The idea for the famous national icon redevelopment began a few years back when Expressions of Interest were invited. Submissions closed on December 7, 2018 with two submissions being received. At a workshop held less than two weeks after that, Council agreed to invite the two developers to present at a Councillor Workshop, which was held on February 12, 2019. Then at an Extraordinary Meeting of Council held on August 13 in the same year, Council resolved to enter into a Call Option Deed with ACT-based Paramount Concrete Construction to redevelop the Dog on the Tuckerbox site.
Following, a working party for the redevelopment was established comprising of representatives of Council, staff and PCC. The Party met on March 18 this year to discuss a draft Masterplan. CGRC GM Phil McMurray highlighted that the southern entrance to the site is an ongoing significant financial burden to Council, in its current condition. A meeting is to be arranged between the Working Party, Member for Riverina Hon. Michael McCormack, Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke MP, and representatives of the Roads and Maritime Services. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the current condition and ongoing maintenance of the road to accommodate the anticipated increase of traffic to the site and its integration with the Masterplan. “The road needs to be fixed at the same time as the redevelopment process, so it is a pressing issue,” Mr McMurray said.
Christopher Tan