Advertisement

Australia's 'fattest town' to welcome fourth McDonald's

Australia’s ‘fattest’ town is set to welcome its fourth McDonald’s.

Councillors approved plans for the fast food giant to build a new restaurant in North Tamworth, just 2.5km away from the McDonald’s in the city’s centre and 3km away from another Macca’s in Tamworth West.

Tamworth West was found to have the nation’s highest obesity rate earlier this year in statistics released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

A staggering 61.2 per cent of residents in the country NSW town are considered to be obese.

Other towns that topped the list were Bridgewater, Tasmania, with 57 per cent of residents obese, and Davoren Park in South Australia with a 55.5 per cent obesity rate.

The McDonald's restaurant in Tamworth West.
The existing McDonald's in Tamworth West, the suburb that was found to have the highest rate of obesity in Australia. Source: Google Maps

Community says town doesn’t need another McDonald’s

Tamworth’s newest Macca’s is set to be constructed on Peel and Marius streets, and will run on ‘limited’ opening hours for six months after concerns were raised by the community.

Council received 20 submissions from the public, whose concerns were published in a Tamworth Regional Council business paper on December 15.

Other issues raised included potential noise levels, cooking odours, security risks for nearby residents and an increase in traffic.

One member of the public stated: “Tamworth does not need a 4th McDonald’s and another McDonald’s will further increase the rates of obesity in Tamworth.”

An overweight man walks through Brisbane, Monday, Aug. 12, 2013.
Tamworth, which is known as the country music capital of Australia, has also gained another less-desirable title of the 'fattest' town in the nation. Source: AAP/FILE

Council responded by saying: “Whilst noted, these concerns are not a matter for consideration in accordance with Section 4.15 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.”

The other three McDonald’s in Tamworth are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, however the new restaurant will operate from 5am to 11pm to trial how the noise impacts nearby residents.

The new $3.34m Macca’s will include a play area, a McCafe and a double-lane drive thru.

Australian suburbs with highest rate of obesity

  1. Tamworth West, NSW (61.2%)

  2. Bridgewater, TAS (57%)

  3. Davoren Park, SA (55.5%)

  4. Melton West, VIC (53.9%)

  5. Mount Druitt, NSW (52.8%)

  6. Smithfield/Elizabeth North, SA (52%)

  7. Kurri Kurri, NSW (51.9%)

  8. Redbank Plains, QLD (51.9%)

  9. Melton/Rockbank, VIC (51.7%)

  10. Moree, NSW (49.5%)

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2020

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.