The Caloundra community banded together to oppose the repurposing of a local watchhouse into a youth remand centre.
Members of the community, business associations and a local school rallied outside the watchhouse entrance to launch a petition against the move. The proposed facility is set to cost $16.4 million and will house remanded young people as well as acting as an overflow for similar facilities across the state.
Local MP, Jarrod Bleijie labelled the remand centre as a 'jail' and worries it could tarnish Caloundra forever, noting past examples of issues youth centres bring into communities.