Community Centre Update August 2023
Residents show their support to return the Centre Block zoning to Community Purposes
Meetings with Council
Planning Consultation on Centre Block future
Council Planning staff addressed concerns raised by CIRS members and other concerned Rainbow Beach locals about the reclassification of Lot 1, 32 Rainbow Beach Road (otherwise known as the Centre Block).
The Centre Block consists of three parcels of land owned by Council. The Community Centre is built on Lot 3, the markets are held on Lot 2, and the open space on the corner of Clarkson Drive is Lot 1 which was re-zoned in 2016 from Community Purposes to Town Centre (commercial).
While no reason was given for why the change had taken place some years ago, concerned residents were told that if enough people wrote to Council requesting the change back, it could be reversed. A show of hands at the meeting on 26 June showed the majority want it reversed.
Letters can be addressed to Council and sent to council@gympie.qld.gov.au or posted to PO Box 155, Gympie QLD 4570.
Contact Division 1 Councillor Jess Milne to express your views. Cr. Milne will be available in the hall on Friday 11 August from 11am to 12 noon.
Future of Waste
Staff from Gympie Regional Council Waste and Environment teams presented the results of their survey on our current waste management services and future needs to a group of residents in the hall on 27 June.
It was recognised that Rainbow Beach has its own waste management issues that were not raised in the Gympie region survey, however Council staff took onboard the local perspectives.
Discussions focused on recycling problems and solutions for units, owner-occupiers paying for extra collections from short term accommodation properties, community education programs for a transient population, bulk (kerbside) waste collections, and the support for attracting innovative industries that can close the recycling loop.
The survey results can be found at: https://www.gympie.qld.gov.au/downloads/file/4538/fow-survey-report
Arts and Cultural Plan
A small but vocal group of local creatives met with Council’s Arts and Cultural Development staff in July to provide feedback on their draft Arts and Cultural Plan for the Gympie region.
More information on the draft strategy and a link to the Community Consultation survey can be found on the council website:
https://www.gympie.qld.gov.au/homepage/288/arts-and-cultural-plan-policies-and-forums
Film Night
CIRS was the first local community group to host one of our CoolaFlix free film nights. The film was Mavka: The Forest Song , a 2023 full-length, animated feature film based on a Ukrainian folktale about a forest spirit who falls in love with a human.
Free entry made it an affordable night out for the family, with reasonable prices for hot dogs, ice creams, drinks and – of course, what all movies must have – popcorn! All proceeds went to CIRS to help us maintain the hall and keep offering these affordable social opportunities.
Special thanks to Audio Visual guru Peter Hall and Door Fairy Debbie Brosnan.
Homeward Bound
Next up in August, the host group will be Rainbow Beach Community Pantry (a ministry of Pindari Life Ltd). The pantry provides affordable hampers on a fortnightly basis from the Community Centre hall.
The film will be the much-loved Disney Classic – Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (rated G for General Exhibition). Doors open at 5pm, so you can stock up on food and drinks before the film screens at 6pm. All proceeds go to the Community Pantry.
Don’t forget! CoolaFlix is on the second Saturday of each month, after the Markets. FREE entry for all ages. Our CoolaFlix program is funded by the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) and powered by volunteers!
Raw Ordio brought the vibe to Rainbow in July
Raw Ordio
Sunshine Coast electronic trio Raw Ordio gave locals something to dance about – a free afternoon of chill beats pumping out across the Centre block on Sunday 15 July.
This was the second time that CIRS has provided Rainbow locals with a magic afternoon of Raw Ordio’s mellow music. The response was so good last year that we brought them back.
Let us know if you liked it and want to see more. Call into the CIRS office or let us know on Facebook.
