Currumbin is a unique part of the Gold Coast for its village feel and preserved forested cliffs and ridges. It is home to the world renowned Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and the iconic Elephant Rock, which hosts the annual Anzac Day ceremony on 25 April each year.
Save Currumbin’s main mission is to provide the community with information, insight and a voice on high rise developments that threaten to damage or destroy the vegetated hills and ridges and ruin the village feel of this special suburb. This is particularly important along the Pacific Parade beachfront, which is enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of members of the public each year.
Proposed Development at 776 Pacific Parade
To everyone's disbelief, on the 11th of February, the Gold Coast City Council approved what appears to be a 7-storey high rise at 776 Pacific Parade by John Fuglsang Developments Pty Ltd - right opposite our iconic beach.
It got through as code assessable only because it was deemed to be a 3-storey building.
This building will dominate the skyline and obstruct a key part of our green ridgeline which gives our beloved Currumbin its unique sense of place.
IS THIS WHAT WE WANT TO SEE FROM THE BEACH EVERY DAY?
SAY NO TO 7-STOREY DEVELOPMENT
Say "IT'S NOT OKAY"
Keep Currumbin Green & Family Friendly
The main mission of Save Currumbin is to inform and empower the community to challenge DA's that try to over develop and to continue to lobby Council and State government to adopt policies, laws and administrative decisions that preserve the vegetated cliff and village feel of Currumbin. The time is now, do not let our beloved Currumbin suffer the same fate as Surfers, Palm Beach or Burleigh... Get involved now to help us save our green corridor to the see free from over development.
We would like to appreciate our incredible sponsors, who share our vision of maintaining a green Currumbin for the enjoyment and benefit of residents, visitor and future generations by supporting responsible and environmentally friendly development.
Disclaimer: Sponsor recognition of Community Partners including the display of their logos or links does not imply endorsement of products or services and are provided purely for identification and transparency. We as a public company limited by guarantee retain full independence over our activities, content and decision making in accordance with the law including the Corporations Act 2001 and the Collections Act 1966. Sponsor acknowledgement is provided in accordance with our not‑for‑profit purpose. Views expressed elsewhere on this website are those of Save Currumbin Ltd and their supporters and do not necessarily reflect those of our sponsors. Save Currumbin Ltd is a community‑based not‑for‑profit organisation. Supporters and sponsors do not influence the organisation’s policy positions, submissions, or advocacy activities.
The Court hearing about the DA at 776 Pacific Parde (old Elephant Rock Café site) will take place Monday 7th September 2026 (but may go over to a second day- Tuesday 8th) at QEII Courts of Law, 415 George Street, Brisbane.(but there’s lso drop off on the other side at Roma Street).
Members of the public are allowed to attend the Planning & Environment Court.
The Case is PEC:631/26 Janssen (and Save Currumbin) v Gold Coast City Council (and John Fuglsang Developments Pty Ltd). The court room is Court 27, level 7.
The presiding judge is Her Honour McDonnell DCJ.
The proceedings start at 10 am but allow time (15-30 min) for security screening at the entrance to the Courts Complex.
www.courts.qld.gov.au/_external/courtslawlist/brisbane.htm
The Court building is 300m from the King George Square Car Park with entry from 100 Adelaide Street and exit via Roma Street and across the road from the Roma Street railway station.
This is a very important test case about how the Council interpret height in storeys.
Thank you for all your support. We pray for a good outcome for Currumbin and all beachside communities on the Gold Coast that will arguably will be affected by the outcome of this court case.
Notes for behaviour in court:
• Dress neatly and respectfully. A suit is not required, but court is a formal setting.
• Turn off your mobile phone before entering the courtroom.
• Stand when the judge enters or leaves the courtroom when the bailiff calls "All Rise".
• Sit quietly in the public gallery and do not talk, comment, or make noise.
• Do not eat, drink, chew gum, smoke, or vape in the courtroom.
• Do not photograph, film, livestream, or record proceedings. ]
• If entering or leaving while the judge is already seated, it is customary to bow or nod respectfully toward the bench
The legal team for the neighbour and Save Currumbin Ltd (Applicants) are:
Michael Connor solicitor Connor O’Meara
Ben Job KC
Susan Hedge Barrister at Law ...
Nice to see her back at Currumbin, the most iconic beach in Australia.
www.facebook.com/share/v/19CpQdYPXt/?mibextid=wwXIfr ...
This content isn't available right now
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.We wish to update you on the progress of the Court Case- Originating Application 631/2026 brought by Save Currumbin Ltd and a local resident as Applicants challenging the development approval granted by Gold Coast City Council for the change application relating to 776 Pacific Parade, Currumbin. On 14 August 2026, our solicitor Michael Connor filed detailed Reply Submissions on behalf of the Applicants prepared by our senior counsel Ben Job KC and junior counsel Susan Hedge. Click this link
for copies. app.box.com/s/da7ggar4gy4ogzhdqgyrt9c083mvjfwh The submissions respond to arguments advanced by both the Gold Coast City Council (First Respondent) and the developer/owner, John Fuglsang Developments Pty Ltd (The Second Respondent).
The Applicants contend that when the planning scheme is properly construed, both DA approvals exceed the 3-storey limit shown on the Building Height Overlay Map for Pacific Parade Currumbin and therefore should have been assessed as "impact" assessable development (which would have given the community a proper opportunity to participate officially in the assessment process and to have appeal rights) rather than merely a "code" assessable development. The Respondents take a contrary view.
A central theme of the Reply Submissions by the Applicants is that the case essentially turns on a short but important question of statutory construction concerning the meaning of "building height" and "storeys" under the Gold Coast City Plan.
You can find copies of the Reply Submissions online at this Link. app.box.com/s/da7ggar4gy4ogzhdqgyrt9c083mvjfwh
The Court has not yet ruled on those issues but we hope that the trial will proceed later this year perhaps as early as October. Please visit SaveCurrumbin.com to keep abreast of the case.
The lead up to the trial has been expensive and the costs of two-day trial will be significant.
Please therefore assist us in what we believe is an important test case about statutory interpretation of height restrictions along the iconic Pacific Parade Currumbin by either
making another donation savecurrumbin.com/donate/ or
a sponsorship app.box.com/s/utcogxek1qb5unmmaj3kvnyo57w71jrg .
Paul Stone and Patrick Dixon
Directors
Save Currumbin Ltd ABN 24 688 965 700
www.facebook.com/savecurrumbin/
savecurrumbin.com/ ...
Gold Coast luxury high-rise approvals thrown into doubt by landmark court ruling by the Queensland Court of Appeal which finds luxury apartments by high end developers do not improve housing affordability simply because they "increase supply" .
The decision could affect other luxury high-rises that are exempted from height limits on the grounds that they improve "housing choice and affordability". ...
Luxury tower 'affordability' claim rejected in landmark court ruling
www.abc.net.au
A landmark court ruling casts doubt over Gold Coast high-rise approvals, finding luxury apartments cannot justify exceeding height limits on the basis of "housing choice and affordability".