Building in Cooee
Coastal suburb immediately west of Burnie — Cooee Beach on the doorstep, owner-occupier community, and a direct connection to the north-west coast lifestyle.
North-West Coast Living with Cooee Beach at Your Door
Cooee is a coastal residential suburb immediately west of Burnie with a population of 597 (ABS 2021, SAL60126), forming part of the contiguous Burnie urban area. It falls within the City of Burnie local government area under the Burnie City Local Provisions Schedule, which commenced on 22 July 2020 — making Burnie the first council in Tasmania to implement the Tasmanian Planning Scheme. The suburb's Bass Highway corridor divides a lower coastal zone, which runs along Cooee Beach and the gravel beach foreshore, from an upper hillside residential zone that rises toward the ranges behind Burnie.
Cooee Beach is the suburb's defining natural amenity — a stretch of grey-pebble beach backed by a grassed foreshore reserve that is freely accessible to residents. The foreshore is used year-round for walking and dog exercise, and the beach itself is popular for rock fishing and scenic walks westward along the coast. Sunsets over Bass Strait from the lower coastal streets are a characteristic feature of the suburb's appeal. Owner-occupancy in Cooee runs at approximately 62.7% — above the Burnie average — reflecting a predominantly family and owner-occupier community character rather than a transient rental demographic.
Cooee is functionally integrated with Burnie's service offering. Burnie's CBD, its hospital, schools, TAFE, and the city's retail and dining precincts are all accessible within minutes. The suburb effectively delivers coastal residential character with city proximity — an appeal that mirrors patterns seen in coastal fringe suburbs across regional Tasmania. New residential construction in Cooee tends to occur through infill and replacement of older housing stock on existing lots, or on the hillside fringe where new lots occasionally become available.
Davies has been building throughout northern and north-west Tasmania since 2009. Cooee is approximately 66 kilometres from our Sheffield base — around 49 minutes by road — within our Burnie service area. We understand the City of Burnie planning framework and are experienced with the coastal and hillside building considerations that apply throughout this part of the north-west coast.
Why People Choose Cooee
Cooee Beach — Coastal Foreshore at Your Door
Cooee Beach is a gravel and pebble foreshore stretching along the suburb's coastal edge, freely accessible and walking distance from the lower residential streets. The beach and foreshore reserve is used year-round for walking, rock fishing, and casual recreation. Bass Strait sunsets from the lower coastal streets are a distinctive feature of the Cooee lifestyle — the kind of natural amenity that coastal Tasmanian addresses consistently command a premium for.
Immediately West of Burnie CBD
Cooee is the first suburb west of Burnie — a seamless extension of the Burnie urban area that delivers coastal residential character without distance from the city's services. Burnie's CBD, the Northwest Regional Hospital, Hellyer College, Burnie TAFE, and the city's retail and dining precincts are all accessible in under 10 minutes by car. For residents who want the north-west coast lifestyle without sacrificing city service proximity, Cooee's location is difficult to beat.
Owner-Occupier Community Character
Owner-occupancy in Cooee runs at approximately 62.7% — above the Burnie city average — reflecting a community of predominantly owner-occupying families rather than transient renters. This owner-occupier character tends to support residential investment, community stability, and the kind of neighbourhood pride and garden upkeep that improves the quality of the residential environment for all residents. New builds in Cooee sit within an established community fabric.
Access to Burnie's Full Services
Burnie's Northwest Regional Hospital, the city's primary and secondary schools, Hellyer College, TAFE and vocational training facilities, Burnie Arts and Function Centre, the Burnie foreshore precinct, and major retail are all within a short drive of Cooee. The suburb delivers coastal living without the service-distance compromise that characterises more isolated coastal addresses like Boat Harbour Beach or Penguin's outer residential areas.
North-West Coast Natural Setting
Cooee's hillside fringe backs onto native vegetation and the ranges that define the north-west coast's landscape character. From upper hillside streets, views across Bass Strait to the coastal fringe below are available on clear days. The natural setting that backs the suburb provides a permanent vegetated edge unlikely to be developed, preserving the hillside's scenic backdrop. Walking access to natural areas through the hillside fringe is a feature of Cooee's upper residential zone.
Established Suburb with Renovation Potential
Much of Cooee's housing stock dates from the mid-twentieth century — a mix of fibro, weatherboard, and brick veneer homes on lots that, by Burnie standards, are reasonably generous. This creates opportunity for knockdown-rebuild or renovation projects on existing lots, often at land prices below what comparable coastal lots in growth areas command. Davies builds new homes and undertakes renovations and extensions throughout the Burnie region, including replacement builds on established Cooee lots.
What to Know About Building in Cooee
Cooee falls within the City of Burnie local government area. The council administers the Tasmanian Planning Scheme — Burnie City Local Provisions Schedule, which commenced on 22 July 2020, making Burnie the first council in Tasmania to implement the Tasmanian Planning Scheme. Building permits are lodged with and assessed by City of Burnie. Key considerations for prospective builders in Cooee:
- Residential land in Cooee is primarily zoned General Residential or Low Density Residential under the Burnie City LPS, depending on location within the suburb. The zone applicable to your specific allotment determines what development is permissible, what setbacks and height limits apply, and what planning permits (if any) are required. Confirm the zone and any applicable overlays via PlanBuild Tasmania's enquiry service before purchase.
- Lower beachside lots in Cooee — particularly those within the coastal zone near Cooee Beach — may be subject to a Coastal Hazard overlay under the Burnie City LPS. Coastal Hazard overlays can restrict development within a setback from the high water mark and may require additional assessment and design to address coastal erosion, inundation, and storm surge risk. Confirm overlay status via PlanBuild Tasmania or LISTmap before purchase.
- Upper hillside land in Cooee may carry a Bushfire Prone Area designation under AS 3959-2018. If a Bushfire Prone Area overlay applies to your lot, a Bushfire Hazard Assessment will be required to determine your Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) rating. Higher BAL ratings can add meaningful cost to construction through required upgrades to windows, doors, external cladding, and decking materials. Confirm Bushfire Prone Area status via PlanBuild Tasmania's enquiry service or the State Fire Commission's mapping before purchase.
- Hillside allotments in Cooee require careful assessment of slope, earthworks, access, and subfloor design — all of which can influence construction cost on steeper sites. Our pre-construction feasibility process includes a site-specific assessment that identifies slope-related factors before any design commitment.
- Cooee's proximity to Bass Strait means that lower coastal allotments are exposed to salt-laden onshore winds. Coastal exposure should be factored into material specification for external elements — cladding, windows, roofing, hardware, and metalwork — to ensure durability and minimise long-term maintenance costs.
- Most residential lots in Cooee are connected to reticulated water and sewer services from TasWater. NBN broadband is available in the suburb. Confirm service connection status for specific lots with TasWater and NBN Co before purchase.
- Davies is approximately 66 kilometres from Cooee from our Sheffield base — around 49 minutes by road. We build throughout the Burnie region and are familiar with the City of Burnie planning framework and the coastal and hillside building considerations that apply to north-west coast residential development.
For those seeking a coastal residential address within the Burnie urban area — with the beach within walking distance, an owner-occupier community character, and city services a short drive away — Cooee offers an appealing base for a new home or renovation project on the north-west coast.
Davies Projects in the Region
Our portfolio spans the north-west coast and greater Launceston — custom homes, high-performance builds, and award-winning residential projects designed for the Tasmanian climate.
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