Permits stall progress on the much awaited Kyabram McDonald’s leaving locals in suspense over new dining options.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
If your new year’s resolution involved staying away from the ‘golden arches’, you can breathe easy.
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The proposed McDonald’s at 255-273 Allan St has missed its Christmas opening date, stuck in a permit purgatory that has kept the site quiet as we head into 2026.
The Free Pressbroke the news last May that the golden arches had made a bid to take over the vacant 255-273 Allan St property.
The original timeline promised Big Macs by Christmas 2025, but the silent construction site at Allan and Albion Sts tells a different story.
Moama Plaza developer Christopher Simes told the Free Press that permits were the main obstacle preventing McDonald’s from opening in Kyabram.
He also said that McDonald's “were not far off” signing the papers to get construction under way.
Last year, the Kyabram Community Facebook page got a sneak peek at what the proposed location would look like.
An early mock-up of what the McDonald’s will look like in Kyabram, as seen on Facebook last year.
Photo by
Contributed
Community reactions were divided — while some welcomed new dining options, others raised concerns about drive-through traffic on the already busy Allan and Albion Sts intersection.
A McDonald’s representative confirmed to the Free Press that they were still working through the development application approval process for a restaurant in Kyabram, but saw potential in a location there.
“If approved, the proposed McDonald’s in Kyabram would create more than 220 local jobs for construction workers and restaurant employees, create opportunities for community partnerships and sponsorships, and involve an investment of approximately $5 million,” they said.
“We are always looking for opportunities to better serve our customers and communities, and see strong potential in Kyabram.”
A Campaspe Shire Council spokesperson said the application for McDonald’s in Kyabram was still active and “under assessment”.
“Council as the responsible authority is working closely with the applicant and referral authorities around outstanding matters,” they said.
“Once these matters have been resolved, a final assessment will be undertaken.”
Council confirmed it could not provide any timeline estimates at this stage.
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