Politics · Australia · 2 hrs ago
Council investigates Burradoo Park Farm as expansion plans face scrutiny
Burradoo Park Farm is under council investigation in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales.
The 250-hectare property near Bowral includes a Three Blue Ducks restaurant, a bakery, a cafe, an orchard and farm operations.
Its owner, Annie Cannon-Brookes, used fast-tracked farm-gate planning rules to gain consent for the precinct in 2024.
The rules were introduced to help commercial farmers earn extra income through tourism without seeking standard council development approval.
Since the venue opened in April, residents have raised concerns about heavy traffic, parking and rail-crossing safety.
Cannon-Brookes wants to more than double the precinct’s capacity, and the council is checking whether the existing operation complied with the rules.
The council has confirmed the investigation, but has not said what action may follow.
Wingecarribee Shire Council is investigating Burradoo Park Farm’s compliance with planning rules after it used fast-tracked farm-gate laws to gain consent.
The 250-hectare property near Bowral includes a Three Blue Ducks restaurant, bakery and cafe, orchard, market garden, and grazing land.
Residents have raised concerns about increased traffic, parking problems and safety near a railway line since the venue opened in April.
The farm is seeking to more than double the precinct’s capacity.
- Who
- Wingecarribee Shire Council is investigating Burradoo Park Farm.
- What
- The council is examining the farm’s compliance after it obtained fast-tracked development consent under farm-gate laws.
- When
- The investigation was confirmed on Thursday; the article was published on October 30, 2026.
- Where
- Burradoo Park Farm, on a 250-hectare property just outside Bowral in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales.
- Why
- Questions have been raised about whether the operation complies with the legislation, while residents have reported traffic, parking and safety concerns.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
NSW passed farm-gate planning laws that made it easier for commercial farmers to earn extra income through agritourism.
A private certifier granted Burradoo Park Farm complying development consent to become a farm gate.
The precinct opened, and crowds exceeded expectations, prompting management to introduce ticketing, weekend traffic wardens and additional parking.
Wingecarribee Shire Council confirmed it was investigating Burradoo Park Farm’s compliance.
- Property size
- 250 hectares
- Location
- Just outside Bowral, in the Southern Highlands
- Consent granted
- 2024
- Planning laws introduced
- 2022
What people are saying
It’s such a joke to call this a farm-gate operation
Theoretically this fast-tracked farm-gate legislation was to help struggling farmers. How is it actually being used? Could we need just a couple more checks and balances to get it right for everyone?
We feel invaded every weekend
It’s kind of cool to have this venue on your [back] step, and it’s certainly become a major destination for people across NSW, but there’s also been a fair amount of resentment from locals when they discovered it had already opened, and brought significantly increased traffic with it.