Secondary dwellings
in the Isaac region.
Mining housing gets built in cohorts, which means a lot of Isaac homes reach the same decision at the same time: whether the block can take a second dwelling.
The short answer
Whether you can build a secondary dwelling on your Isaac Regional block, how large it may be, and whether it can be let to someone outside your household are all set by the council’s planning scheme, and they change. Check the current position on Isaac Regional Council’s planning scheme page before you design anything. We supply kitchens to the region delivered assembled; we do not install there.
What a secondary dwelling is, in planning terms
Councils rarely say "granny flat". The term is generally secondary dwelling: a self-contained dwelling on the same lot as a house and subordinate to it. Dual occupancy is a separate classification with separate rules. Search the scheme for the right term or you will conclude there are no rules — there are. The statewide picture is in granny flat rules across Queensland; this page is about what is specific to Isaac.
Why Isaac is a cohort market
Moranbah, Dysart, Clermont, Glenden, Nebo and Coppabella were largely built for a mining workforce, in defined windows. That means a large number of houses are the same age, on similar blocks, reaching the same stage of life together — and a secondary dwelling is a common answer, whether for family, for a worker, or for income during a project. The council sees these applications in waves, which is worth knowing when you ask about timing.
The categories to check, not the figures
Maximum floor area, and whether it is fixed or a proportion of the main dwelling. Setbacks from boundaries. Whether the dwelling must remain attached or share services. Parking. And the one that decides the business case — whether it may be occupied by someone outside the household of the main house. We are not going to quote a number for any of these, because a wrong one costs you a build. Isaac Regional Council’s planning scheme page carries the current scheme.
Letting it to workers
In a mining region the obvious use for a second dwelling is workforce accommodation, and that is precisely the question the occupancy rule answers. Some approvals restrict a secondary dwelling to the household of the main house; some permit separate tenancy. Ask that question first and in writing, because it is the difference between a project that pays for itself and one that does not.
Council decides planning; a certifier decides building
Two approvals. The council answers whether the use is permitted on that land and on what conditions. A private building certifier assesses whether what you propose meets the building code, including classification — a secondary dwelling is generally Class 1a and has to meet the standards of somewhere people live. Ring a certifier early; they will tell you in one call whether the idea is straightforward.
What the kitchen has to be
If the dwelling is approved as a dwelling, it generally needs the facilities of one: a sink, a cooking facility, a bench and storage. A kitchenette usually will not satisfy that. We supply those kitchens to the Isaac region delivered assembled, from $6,500 for a 2.4 metre run, with full service drawings for your builder — see kitchen supply to Moranbah and the Isaac region. We do not install in the region and we say so plainly.
Last checked: September 2026. General orientation, not planning or building advice. Council requirements change and every property is assessed on its own facts — confirm the current position with the council on the number above, or a building certifier, before you spend anything.
What the kitchen costs
From a kitchenette
to fully bespoke.
Supplied and installed in Central Queensland; shipped flat pack or assembled anywhere in Australia. Every figure is a real range, not a from-price with the catches left out.
From $4,500
Kitchenette
For a studio, an under-house room or a short-stay unit. Sink, bench and cold storage; cooktop and microwave where they fit. Same carcasses and hardware as a full kitchen.
See what's included →
$15,000 – $23,000
Essence
Handleless, quiet, exact. Soft-matte doors on Blum soft-close runners with a stone benchtop. Our entry to bespoke, drawn to your room rather than picked from a catalogue.
See what's included →
$26,000 – $42,000
Maison
What most Rockhampton families build. Timber veneer against a full-height stone splashback, a waterfall island, integrated lighting and a butler’s pantry behind a hidden door.
See what's included →
$47,000 +
Atelier
No constraints. Book-matched slabs, curved and fluted cabinetry, solid brass, wine walls and a pantry built like a jewellery box. One project at a time.
See what's included →Frequently asked
Common questions
If your question is not here, call the studio. We would rather talk it through than have you guess.
Ask us directly →Can I build a granny flat in Moranbah?
That depends on your block and Isaac Regional Council’s current planning scheme. Check the scheme on their website, and ask specifically about your address. Do not rely on what was permitted for a neighbour — conditions differ by lot.
Can I rent a secondary dwelling to a worker in the Isaac region?
Only if the approval permits occupation by someone outside the household of the main dwelling. Some do and some do not. Ask the council before you budget on rental income; it is the question that decides whether the project works.
Do you install kitchens in Moranbah or Dysart?
No. Our installers work Central Queensland within about 150 kilometres of Rockhampton. We supply the Isaac region delivered assembled, with service drawings, for your own builder or installer to fit.
How much is a secondary dwelling kitchen?
From about $6,500 for a 2.4 metre run and $7,700 for 3.0 metres, supplied, including carcasses, doors, Blum hardware and a benchtop. Delivery to the Isaac region is quoted with it.
Delivered assembled
The assembly is done
before it arrives.
Carcasses built square on a bench, Blum hardware fitted, doors hung and adjusted to even gaps. On site you are fixing finished cabinets to a wall, not building them on the floor. Our own team fits it in Central Queensland; your installer fits it anywhere else in Australia. Prefer to build it yourself? The same kitchen ships flat pack.
A long run arrives as numbered assembled units
Handleless rail on an assembled run
American oak and stone
Isaac region
Approval first.
Then send us the plan.
Once you know what the council will permit, send the dimensions and we will quote the kitchen supply, fixed and itemised, delivered to your site.