Mariara Property Group submits application for $9.6 m ECEC build on Sunshine Coast

The Mariara Property Group Pty Ltd has submitted an application to the Sunshine Coast Council to build a five-storey early childhood education and care (ECEC) service on Howard Street, Nambour.

To be located at  68-78 Howard Street, the proposed facility would employ 23 staff and accommodate 149 children, and would be run by Evolution Early Learning, which has other centres at Mooloolaba and Kuluin.

Vacant commercial buildings currently occupy the site, and would be demolished to make way for the build. 

Design plans show parking, an office and kitchen on the basement level; a foyer, parking, cooking school and gardens on the ground level; play areas, a staff room, office, yoga studio and music studio on level one; and play areas and learning spaces on levels two to four.

A total of 44 car parking spaces would be provided: 23 for staff and 21 for customers.

A town planning report submitted on behalf of the developer outlined the benefits of the centre to the town, outlining the “significant convenience and benefit” to those working and living in Nambour.

Ara Phillips, a director of Mariara Property Group alongside her architect husband Marios, spoke with local news source Sunshine Coast News saying the pair were “invested in Nambour’s future.”

“While Nambour has often been perceived negatively, we believe in the growth of the town,” she said.

“Its structure and layout has a great community feel, with shopping, medical, services and infrastructure all within short distances. You get the benefit of a hinterland town so close to the coast. We believe it has a lot of potential for growth, especially for young families.”

Evolution Early Learning’s other site, on Brisbane Road, Mooloolaba, was put forward as an example of a similar multi-storey service developed by the applicant, something Mariara Property Group believes is a “highly innovative concept” that offers children an alternative to the typical early learning experience.

“It has always been our vision and goal to create a premium early learning service on the Sunshine Coast, to provide many unique and enriching learning opportunities for children, that encompasses our passions and ethos around sustainability, urban farming, animals, food and nutrition, and providing a range of extra-curricular programs,” Ms Phillips said.

Should the project be approved it is anticipated that it would take approximately 12 months to build, and could be open for January 2026. 

Access the original coverage of this story here.