Privacy Policy

Effective Date: March 31, 2025

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy outlines how McDonald Architecture Pty Ltd (trading as Burleigh Beach Designs) ("we", "us", "our") collects, uses, discloses, and protects your personal information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained within the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information transparently and securely. This policy applies to information collected through our website (https://www.burleighbeachdesigns.com), during client consultations, project delivery, and other interactions with Burleigh Beach Designs.

By providing us with your personal information, you consent to its collection, use, and disclosure as described in this Privacy Policy.

2. Personal Information We Collect

We may collect and hold personal information about you, including but not limited to:

  • Contact Information: Name, address, email address, phone number(s).
  • Project Information: Details about your property, project requirements, design preferences, budget information, site surveys, plans, and related documentation provided by you or third parties (e.g., surveyors, engineers).
  • Communication Records: Records of emails, phone calls, meetings, and other communications.
  • Financial Information: Billing details, payment information related to our services.
  • Website Usage Data: If you visit our website, we may collect non-personally identifiable information such as your IP address, browser type, operating system, pages visited, and referring website through cookies or analytics tools (see Section 7).

We collect personal information directly from you when you contact us, engage our services, fill out forms on our website, or otherwise interact with us. We may also collect information from third parties where necessary for project delivery (e.g., from consultants, councils) with your consent where required.

3. How We Use Your Personal Information

We collect and use your personal information for the primary purpose of providing architectural services, including:

  • Responding to your enquiries and communicating with you.
  • Providing architectural design, documentation, and contract administration services.
  • Managing your project, including coordinating with consultants, builders, and authorities.
  • Managing our client relationship with you, including invoicing and payments.
  • Complying with our legal and regulatory obligations.
  • Improving our services and website experience.
  • Marketing our services to you (only with your consent, and you can opt-out at any time).

4. Disclosure of Your Personal Information

We respect the confidentiality of your information. We will only disclose your personal information for the purpose for which it was collected, or as otherwise permitted by law. This may include disclosure to:

  • Consultants engaged for your project (e.g., engineers, surveyors, town planners, builders) with your explicit or implied consent as necessary for service delivery.
  • Government bodies and regulatory authorities (e.g., local councils for development applications) as required by law or for project approvals.
  • Our professional advisors (e.g., lawyers, accountants).
  • Third-party service providers who assist us in operating our business (e.g., IT support, cloud storage providers, email marketing platforms), subject to confidentiality agreements and privacy safeguards.
  • Other parties where required or authorised by law.

We do not typically disclose personal information to overseas recipients unless directly related to your project requirements and with your knowledge (e.g., specifying overseas products). If we do, we will take reasonable steps to ensure the overseas recipient handles the information in accordance with the APPs.

5. Data Security and Storage

We take reasonable steps to protect the personal information we hold from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. These steps include secure physical storage, electronic security measures (such as firewalls, password protection, encryption where appropriate), and limiting access to authorised personnel.

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law (e.g., architectural record-keeping obligations). When information is no longer needed, we take reasonable steps to securely destroy or de-identify it.

6. Accessing and Correcting Your Personal Information

You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you and to request corrections if you believe it is inaccurate, out-of-date, incomplete, irrelevant, or misleading.

To request access or correction, please contact us using the details provided in Section 10. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe. We may need to verify your identity before granting access or making corrections. In some circumstances permitted by the Privacy Act, we may deny access or refuse to make a correction, but we will provide written reasons for our decision.

7. Cookies and Website Analytics

Our website may use cookies (small text files stored on your device) to enhance user experience, analyse site traffic, and potentially provide targeted information. Cookies generally do not identify you personally, but may link back to a database record about you if you have provided us with information.

We may use analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics) that collect data about your website usage. This information is aggregated and used to understand user behaviour and improve our website.

You can usually modify your browser settings to decline cookies if you prefer. However, this may affect your ability to use certain features of our website.

8. Privacy Complaints

If you believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles or mishandled your personal information, please contact us using the details below. Please provide details of your complaint so we can investigate thoroughly.

We will acknowledge your complaint promptly and aim to resolve it within a reasonable timeframe (typically 30 days).

If you are unsatisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):

9. Policy Updates

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The updated policy will be posted on our website (https://www.burleighbeachdesigns.com) with the revised effective date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to access or correct your personal information, or make a complaint, please contact our Privacy Officer: