Update on Tin Can Bay, Cooloola Cove and Goomeri ‘Our Towns’ Sustainable Centres Program

Tin Can Bay, Cooloola Cove and Goomeri, are included as Stages 3 and 4 of the “Our Towns” Sustainable Centre Program. The program is focused on supporting and enhancing the region’s townships as attractive and desirable places to live, work and visit.

The focus of the work Council is planning in Tin Can Bay and Cooloola Cove will centre on streetscape improvements including landscape design and improvements for pedestrian access and strengthening tourism attributes. Goomeri will centre on development and use of the land adjacent to the historical rail station, streetscape improvements including landscape design and improvements for pedestrian access, while embracing the heritage character of the town.

Gympie Regional Council Mayor Mick Curran says, ‘in July and August 2015 Council undertook a first round of community consultation for the draft Concept Ideas Plan for the Tin Can Bay, Cooloola Cove and ‘Goomeri’ “Our Towns’ program. We wish to thank those people who took the time to have their say. Your ideas and feedback have been helpful to develop the Final Draft Concept Master Plan, which was considered by Council at its workshop on 28 October 2015.’

The Final Draft Concept Master Plan identifies several key immediate and short term priorities for ‘Tin Can Bay and Cooloola Cove’ and Goomeri, representing the key issues raised by the community during the consultation period:

Tin Can Bay:

• Several place making improvements to enhance the hub around the Local Centre and integration with the Community Precinct to create a sense of entry / arrival;
• Tourist information sites at the Community Precinct and Norman Point to encourage visitors to stay longer and explore; and
• Increased cycle and footpath links through the Local Centre and Community Precinct to supplement existing 10,000 Steps Walk and Foreshore Walk infrastructure.

Cooloola Cove:

• Pedestrian refuge/s on Queen Elizabeth Drive connecting to the Local Centre to improve connectivity and safety;
• Way-finding elements and planning improvements at the intersection of Nautilus Drive and Investigator Avenue to improve traffic flow and streetscape amenity;
• Investigating the potential for better pedestrian linkages from residential areas to the Local Centre; and
• Place making improvements to enhance the hub and sense of community around the Local Centre.

Goomeri:

• Formalising access to the rear of shops in Boonara Street for trucks and delivery vehicles.
• Accessible pathway between town centre and showgrounds including shade tree planting and landscaping.
• Media Release
• New market square proposed near to the Clock Tower
• Investigations into upgrading the historic railway station in conjunction with the development of the Rail Trail project.
• Improvements to ceremonial space and landscaping for the historic Clock Tower
• Improvements to street furniture, footpath safety and consistency of planter boxes
• Improvements to Dickinson Park.

The Final Concept Plans for ‘Tin Can Bay and Cooloola Cove’ and ‘Goomeri’ are now being released for further community review on 9 November 2015. The review period is for two weeks from 9 November through to 23 November 2015. This further review is to give the community an opportunity to see how their feedback was considered.

The full report is available at gympie.qld.gov.au/our-towns and from 9 November 2015 at Council’s customer contact points, including the Tin Can Bay and Goomeri libraries.

Once the final consultation is completed, the consulting project team will develop the concept plan/landscape design for the selected priority action/s into detailed concept drawings which will enable Council to proceed with drafting construction drawings.

If you have further feedback, you can email it to planningprojects@gympie.qld.gov.au or call Planning Strategy and Major Projects on 5481 0413.