A tourist facility development application first submitted to Ipswich City Council four years ago has been granted conditional approval.

Flight Centre CEO Graham “Skroo” Turner and his wife Judy Turner, who runs boutique hotel chain Spicers Retreats, applied to build a 1616-hectare eco-tourism destination near Spicers Hidden Vale resort in 2017.

The facility, dubbed Bubbling Springs, will accommodate up to 290 people in grass tents and glamping structures.

Judy Turner told Sofie Formica the original plan would’ve held more guests, but had to be stripped back.

“They are very strict on numbers and what have you.”

The land, which is adjacent to the existing Spicers Hidden Vale, was once farming land.

“We started to develop a mountain bike park on our farming land there and although a lot of the bike riders do like to stay at Hidden Vale, there really is a need for low-cost accommodation.

“That was sort of the idea behind Bubbling Springs: that it’s a sort of good quality camping site.”

Press PLAY below to hear Judy Turner describe her vision for the facility

“We’re really keen to see this eco-tourism facility get up and running,” Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding told Spencer Howson.

But she said there’s a major sticking point: the traffic.

“There’s some dirt roads there, so they’re the things that have to be sorted out.

“It’s only fair for the residents if there’s an increased traffic that those roads are fixed up.”

Press PLAY below to hear the full interview