Our Cassowary Coast Region Community Plan 2011 - 2021 Community Vision ‘WELCOME TO COUNTRY’
On behalf of the local community, Cassowary Coast Regional Council acknowledges the Traditional Owners of country in this local government area – the Mamu, Djiru, Girramay and Jirrbal peoples, and the 100+ generations of their people living in this country. Cassowary Coast Regional Council recognises Traditional Owners’ particular relationships and responsibilities with country and culture, and the contributions Traditional Owner communities bring to celebrating and building on the uniqueness and vitality of our region. Cassowary Coast Regional Council works with the Traditional Owner representative organisations, Cassowary Coast Regional Council community and country. CONTENTS
04 FROM THE MAYOR 06 WHAT IS A COMMUNITY PLAN 10 OUR COMMUNITY PLAN 14 CASSOWARY COAST REGION PROFILE 20 OUR REGION’S ISSUES CHALLENGES OPPORTUNITIES 24 CREATING OUR FUTURE: THE VISION 26 STRATEGIC FOCUS AREAS A Diverse Thriving Economy i) Marketing our region, building partnerships and fostering innovation ii) Developing our workforce iii) Enabling infrastructure
Social Fabric i) Leadership and governance ii) Community governance and involvement iii) Inclusive, diverse, fair and cohesive community iv) Maintaining the social infrastructure v) Promoting healthy active and safe living vi) Valuing a knowledge based and informed future
Unique Natural Environment i) Maintaining our unique biodiversity ii) Protecting, restoring and enhancing our special places iii) Protecting our natural resources and landscapes
Liveable Built Environment i) Planning for liveable outcomes ii) Delivering smart community infrastructure iii) Making green and sustainable decisions iv) Embracing our places and spaces v) Getting people and goods around our community
56 NEXT STEPS
Cassowary Coast Region Community Plan: Our Community Vision 3 WITH OUR AMAZING RAINFORESTS, ISLANDS AND REEFS, TROPICAL CLIMATE, ABUNDANT SUPPLIES OF WATER AND OUR ENVIABLE LOCATION BETWEEN TWO REGIONAL CITIES, THE CASSOWARY COAST REGION IS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO LIVE.
4 Cassowary Coast Region Community Plan: Our Community Vision FROM THE MAYOR MAYOR’S MESSAGE
On behalf of your Council I am pleased to present the Cassowary Coast Region Community Plan. This document represents a new era in strategic planning for our region. It will guide Council’s key decisions for the next ten years and importantly it is based on a shared purpose between Council and the community we serve.
Our Community Plan has been developed after the extensive community engagement that took place under the banner of the Liveable Cassowary Coast 2020 project.
The plan sets out a clear vision for where we hope to be in 2020. Bill Shannon It outlines the important issues and opportunities that we will be engaged with as we move to realise our shared vision for the future. These issues span economic development, sustainable living and social wellbeing.
It is clear from our discussions with residents that this vision will be realised by preserving the things we love about our region and building on our unique lifestyle and shared values. Notable from the community feedback is the consensus around what residents celebrate about living in our region and the unanimity of their vision.
With our amazing rainforests, islands and reefs, tropical climate, abundant supplies of water and our enviable location between two regional cities, the Cassowary Coast region is a wonderful place to live. We typically have the greatest agricultural production in dollar terms for any local government area in Australia and a world renowned tourist industry.
Embracing and creating innovation, forging partnerships within the region and beyond, placing a renewed emphasis on growing our skills, investing in education and learning have and preserving our valued lifestyle.
On behalf of Council, I invite the community to continue to engage with Council as we work together over the next ten years and beyond to realise your vision.
Mayor - Bill Shannon
CassowaryCassowary Coast ReRegiongion Community Plan: Our Community Vision 5 WHAT IS A COMMUNITY PLAN?
6 Cassowary Coast Region Community Plan: Our Community Vision A Community Plan is simply a road map to guide the community in making decisions about its future based on a shared vision and values. A Community Plan sets out strategic choices for achieving the vision. A Community Plan’s authority is derived from the active and wide participation of citizens in its development and implementation. A Community Plan approach to achieving the community’s vision recognises the input of all citizens. A Community Plan is a dynamic document which needs to be delivered and reviewed within a framework of active collaboration.
Cassowary Coast Region Community Plan: Our Community Vision 7 LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK
The Local Government Act 2009 requires that all Council statutory plans including the Corporate local governments in Queensland prepare a 10 year and Operational Plans, Planning Scheme, Priority Community Plan that will guide the future direction for Infrastructure Plan, Annual Budget and Asset Councils and their communities. Management Plan and non-statutory plans such as the Economic Development Plan and Social Plan. There are a number of State and Regional plans, such as the Far North Queensland Regional Plan Local government is required to formally adopt 2031 (FNQ2031) that informs the development of the the plan and report on progress. Council’s annual Community Plan. The Community Plan will guide reporting will include reporting progress against the the development of and be implemented through targets set out in the Community Plan.
8 Cassowary Coast Region Community Plan: Our Community Vision legislative framework
Cassowary Coast Region Community Plan: Our Community Vision 9 OUR COMMUNITY PLAN
10 Cassowary Coast Region Community Plan: Our Community Vision The Cassowary Coast Region Community Plan provides a framework for Council to set future direction, guide strategic planning, and determine resource allocation priorities. Whilst Council remains the steward of the plan, it can be used and implemented by community groups and other government agencies. As a ten year high level strategy document it is necessarily broad so as to remain relevant over time. It will therefore need to be supported by supplementary action plans and strategies. Our Community Plan outlines a vision for the Cassowary Coast including opportunities where Council can contribute to the achievement of State and Federal Government objectives, and explores the potential to work in partnership with other government and regional agencies to realise our vision.
Cassowary Coast Region Community Plan: Our Community Vision 11 LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY
“THE ROAD WE TRAVELLED”
In 2009 Cassowary Coast Regional Council, in and community forums were held in towns across partnership with Healthier Great Green Way (a the region, 2000 community surveys were distributed partnership between Queensland Health, Mamu during community events and newspaper surveys were Health Service and FNQ Division of General Practice) conducted through the Tully Times and the Innisfail auspiced The Liveable Cassowary Coast 2020 Advocate. (LCC2020). The project was undertaken over 2 years Our Community Plan is also informed by previous and was well advanced when the State Legislation requiring Councils to develop Community Plans was consultations undertaken by Council with the introduced. community around economic, sustainable planning and environmental matters. The Cassowary Coast Region Community Plan builds on this body of work and the consultation that was The LCC2020 management structure will continue to undertaken to develop the LCC2020. The LCC2020 work with community partners to action its priorities, represented the most extensive consultation exercise with the support of Council, Healthier Great Green ever undertaken by the Cassowary Coast Regional Way and lead agencies. The community engagement Council. To facilitate this, a Project Contact Centre process used to create LCC2020 has connected was set up in Innisfail and operated throughout the people, organisations and government agencies and life of the project and community involvement was will provide the robust framework necessary to support proactively sought through a broad and dynamic the ongoing community wide collaboration critical to consultative process. Focus groups, youth workshops the successful realisation of Our Vision.
12 Cassowary Coast Region Community Plan: Our Community Vision listening to the community
In small communities, people look after each other.
Cassowary Coast Region Community Plan: Our Community Vision 13 CASSOWARY COAST REGION PROFILE
14 Cassowary Coast Region Community Plan: Our Community Vision The Cassowary Coast region is situated in Far North Queensland between Cairns and Townsville and named after the iconic
It is recognised as one of Far North Queensland’s most idyllic locations with a unique mix of tropical beaches and islands, world heritage rainforest, art deco architecture and multiculturalism with key economic drivers being primary production and tourism.
Cassowary Coast Region Community Plan: Our Community Vision 15 REGION PROFILE
As at 30 June 2009, the estimated resident population The high rainfall and humidity means the region is of the region was 30,992 persons. The multicultural one of the wettest and greenest parts of Australia. diversity of that population is emphasised with 8.7% Protected areas such as National Parks and World speaking languages other than English at home. The Heritage Areas make up approximately 70% of the Indigenous population is estimated at 8.3%, which is region, which is bordered to the east by the Great 6% higher than Queensland’s average. The region is Barrier Reef Marine Park. The region’s biodiversity projected to have an average annual population growth and our iconic fauna, such as the mahogany glider to 2031 of 0.9%. According to the Australian Bureau and cassowary, help determine the identity of the Cassowary Coast region. persons was 40.9 with an average household size of 2.7 persons. Our region is home to the largest variety Our region includes towns, rural and coastal of frogs with some 57 species which is a communities and covers an area of approximately quarter of the Australian total. 4,700 square kilometres. The region stretches from Innisfail in the north, through Tully and Mission Beach, to Cardwell in the south. The region’s boundaries fall Visitors to the Cassowary Coast region within the traditional estates of six Traditional Owner represent 10% of the total for Far North groups: Mamu, Djiru, Gulnay, Girramay, Jirrbal and Queensland and the annual total visitor Bandjin people. Cairns, with its international airport expenditure is around $100M about 4% of is 90 kilometres north of Innisfail and Townsville, with the total for Far North Queensland. large port and rail facilities is 166 kilometres south of Cardwell. According to the Queensland future population review Cairns and Townsville are in the top The four most prevalent industry sectors are ten fastest growing local government areas in the state with an average annual population increase to 2031 of manufacturing and construction followed by 1.5 % and 1.7 % respectively (population projections to the health and social services sector and 2031: local government areas, 2011 edition). accommodation and food services of which
The Cassowary Coast region produces 10.9% of the total value of crops in Queensland.
16 Cassowary Coast Region Community Plan: Our Community Vision
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Cassowary Coast Region Community Plan: Our Community Vision 17 REGION PROFILE
There are over 3,500 businesses operating across the The Cassowary Coast Regional Council was region with agriculture, dominated by cane and banana established on 15 March 2008. The new Regional production being the main economic drivers. Cattle, Council was created through the amalgamation of exotic fruits, and tropical plants are smaller agricultural Cardwell Shire and Johnstone Shire Councils. industries with the potential for further growth. The region has a unique natural beauty which lends itself to expanding the tourism market.
Estimated resident population by urban centres/localities Cassowary Coast Region 30 June 2009 ———————————————————————————— Urban centre Estimated Locality Population or locality Population Area Density
Number km2 Persons / km2 ———————————————————————————— Innisfail 8,837 22.9 385.9 Tully 2,578 7.1 363.1 Cardwell 1,486 9.4 158.1 Wongaling Beach 1,143 7.9 144.7 South Mission Beach 848 12.7 66.8 Flying Fish Point 811 2.8 289.6 Kurrimine 632 1.7 371.8 Wangan 621 0.5 1,242.0 Mission Beach 614 3.3 186.1 Bingil Bay 491 3.2 153.4 Tully Heads 489 6.0 81.5 South Johnstone 488 3.3 147.9 Mourilyan 469 1.5 312.7 Silkwood 349 6.9 50.6 El Arish 291 0.7 415.7 ———————————————————————————— Cassowary Coast Region 30,992 4,701.3 6.6 ———————————————————————————— Queensland 4,425,103 1,734,173.9 2.6 Region as % of Qld. 0.7 0.3 2.3