Denmark council green-lights rezoning to pave the way for expansion of The Dam on Raintree Estate

The Denmark Shire council has set the stage for further expansion of The Dam on Raintree Estate to go ahead after unanimously endorsing an amendment to its local planning scheme on Tuesday. The amendment will result in lot 305 Wentworth Road being rezoned from rural to tourist and pave the way for a Scandinavian-inspired cannabis retreat. Plans for the proposed to build $5 million retreat will be further developed over the coming 6-12 months. They are set to include a reception, lodge, six two-bedroom chalets and six off-grid eco-huts, which will all be underpinned by sustainable principles and renewable energy practices. The council’s endorsement of the rezoning comes after an almost universal showing off support from more than 630 public submissions regarding the proposal. Raintree founder and director Stephen Birkbeck said community support had been affirmed by the council’s decision. “It’s been a pleasure growing with our community over the past two years since opening our flagship restaurant, The Dam,” he said. “It’s been incredibly powerful as a start-up venture to be able to quantify support for our future vision with overwhelming numbers and positive sentiments expressed by the Denmark community for what we do in agribusiness and tourism sectors. “We are humbled by the support from a grassroots level for this vision and look forward to working with the community and the Shire to shape our vision into a reality and develop an ecotourism offering like nothing regional Australia has ever seen before.”