Economic Snapshot 2017-2018 3 a Message from the President
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MAREEBA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ECONOMIC SNAPSHOT 2017-2018 3 A message from the president 4 Mayor Tom Gilmore reflects on the region Your chamber working for Mareeba 5 Economy primed for big future 6 Regional statistics 7 The leader in rural area population growth Building approvals and sales remain high 8 New road benefit to Mareeba Shire's economy 9 Aviation set to soar at Mareeba Airport 11 Leadership in green power development 16 Mareeba Shire Council 18 Business excellence awards 20 Mareeba Hospital leads growth 21 Health services vital for growth 22 Tap into Tourism – an essential part of Mareeba 24 Water is the life blood of the region 25 Local jobs critical to industry 26 Agriculture remains the backbone of Mareeba Shire 27 Biggest Field Days in the North 28 The cost of rising power prices on local businesses Contents 29 A crucial retail and service hub Local events attracting thousands Contributors ECONOMIC SNAPSHOT Photos Mareeba Chamber of Commerce The Express newspaper Economic Snapshot Published by Peter Roy Photographer the Mareeba Chamber of Commerce Trevor Duncan and Kerry Geck 386 Byrnes St MAREEBA QLD 4880 – Tablelands and Surrounds Photography Group P: (07) 4092 6050 E: [email protected] Editorial Bill Cummings – Cummings Economics DESIGN Designed and produced by Mareeba Shire Council the Mareeba Chamber Mayor Tom Gilmore of Commerce Michael Serenc – Fox 2 Media PRINTING Printed by O’Donnells Cover photo Office Power Tourism Tropical North Queensland President’swelcome JOE MORO, PRESIDENT, MAREEBA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE President of the Mareeba Chamber of Commerce, Joe Moro, reflects on 2017 and looks ahead to another successful year for the Chamber and the town. T has been another big year for the the Dimbulah area in the past few months with Mareeba Chamber of Commerce. further expansion of citrus, table grapes and Over the past 12 months the mangoes, which will lead to up to $100 million Chamber has been involved in: of investment around Dimbulah and will have • Improved health services at flow on effects to the Mareeba economy. IMareeba Hospital and GP services for the The region is growing community We continue to see good growth in Mareeba • Improved transport links for inland roads and throughout the shire. Mareeba is a vibrant, and the gulf, including the Hann Highway and growing and progressive community and the an unhooking pad for B-double trucks between Chamber sees the importance of maintaining Kuranda and Mareeba and improving healthcare services that are • Kuranda Range Road upgrade appropriate for our community. • Proposed KUR-World development Mareeba Hospital is no longer eligible • Mt Emerald Wind Farm (as of October 1, 2017) for the Council of • Promoting tourism and encouraging Australian Governments (COAG) Section all businesses to take advantage of these 19(2) Exemptions Initiative, which allowed the customers who are our guests hospital to operate a GP clinic. Over the past • Water infrastructure six months, the Chamber has worked with all • Queensland Electricity Users Network parties to make sure the community continues • Estuarine Crocodile Management in to have access to a GP service at the hospital Queensland and launch of @iSAWACROC with bulk billing. This will continue with Facebook page to help create awareness Amaroo Medical who are providing the service • Business excellence awards in the short term. • Campaign on shopping locally, including The Chamber also welcomes the $2 million the “Christmas on Byrnes” event in Federal funding to improve primary health joe I would like to thank the management care in Mareeba, more of which you will read committee for all their hard work over the last about in this publication. 12 months, especially our operations manager Janet Greenwood, who carries out most of the Kuranda Range needs an upgrade activities to get things done for the Chamber. We are seeing too many accidents and delays on the Kuranda Range Road whenever there Issues on the agenda moro is rain. We have reached peak flows of 9000 The area still needs new water infrastructure vehicles per day on the range and the growth put in place to meet the current and future rate will be between 1.5 to 2% per year. By 2036 needs of urban growth, agriculture expansion that number will reach about 15,000 vehicles and climate change. A three-point water plan per day. The road will just continue to get is needed to guarantee future growth and worse every year for commuters to use – urgent sustainability. action is needed. That involves the modernisation of the We believe that additional planning needs Mareeba Dimbulah Water Supply Scheme, the to be included to ensure transport routes, not construction of a pipe to tunnel water from only for urban commuters but for the whole North Johnstone River near Malanda to Kenny spectrum of transport/freight movements Creek (a tributary of the Barron River) and the within and through the region. Developments construction of Nullinga Dam. Between the like KUR-World should not be put at risk three projects, estimated yield of an additional because governments have done nothing to 50,000 to 60,000 megalitres of water could be provide key infrastructure. diverted to farms across the Mareeba Dimbulah There are still many opportunities in our Irrigation Area. shire. We are an innovative region with There is a need for more water in the MDIA, many assets and numerous new projects in but also for more growth around Dimbulah and development – some of which you will read possibly as far as Chillagoe. If Nullinga Dam was about in this publication. built, there would be at least 80,000 megalitres of water that would become available to these areas. We have seen significant investment in Mareeba, Go for Gold. Mareeba Chamber of Commerce Economic Snapshot 3 council from the Mayor TOM GILMORE MAYOR, MAREEBA SHIRE COUNCIL HERE is not a more exciting time to be in Mareeba and neighbouring areas, growth in agricultural production and Shire than the present. investment and diversification. The past 12 months have seen a period of In support of our burgeoning economy and indeed our growing sustainable growth for both our Shire and for our community, council has expended $31.4 million in capital works, local community. The level of investment in new road maintenance and importantly, replacing bridges which had Tdwellings and industrial enterprises has been significant, come to the end of their useful life. This continuing investment signalling a high level of confidence in our regional economy and in the critical infrastructure which underwrites our agricultural the industries which underpin it. industry and our community has been a feature of this council's Mareeba is developing as the region’s largest inland commercial focus since its inception and has carried forward into this centre and an alternative to future coastal development that is reporting year. Significant projects include the extension of road increasingly impacted by environmental constraints and high and drainage infrastructure at the Mareeba Industrial Park, land costs. the construction of the new Mareeba Wastewater Treatment Unlike many other rural areas in Australia, or areas close to a Plant, investments in new water infrastructure in Kuranda and major regional centre, Mareeba Shire has experienced sustained significant investment in new capital works and maintenance of population growth with a 20 year average rate of 1.2% per our extensive roads infrastructure. annum. Now in its fourth year, Mareeba Shire Council continues to Recent economic studies commissioned by council identified grow, to mature and to continue to provide the highest level of factors which accelerated this growth beyond the current trend. service to the community within the capacity of the community These include Mt Emerald Wind Farm, expansion of Mareeba to pay, supported by grant assistance from the State and as a transport hub due to agricultural expansion in the shire Commonwealth Governments. Working for you, working for Mareeba NSURING the continued growth and prosperity of opportunities for local businesses, such as the proposed $640 local business is the core mission of the Mareeba million KUR-World eco-resort at Myola and the $360 million Chamber of Commerce. Mt Emerald Wind Farm project currently underway. Chamber president Joe Moro said the Mr Moro encouraged every business within the Mareeba organisation played a vital role in representing district to become a member of the Chamber. Ebusinesses within the Mareeba district and championing their “It’s important that people become members to have their cause at all levels of government. say in the process when it comes to planning future economic “I think there’s a clear need for the Chamber and we receive strategy. After all, we're an organisation that’s representing you good support from the business community,” he said. and you have the opportunity to put your view forward,” he said. “In addition to local councils, we also work with both State “The reality is the Chamber is largely a volunteer organisation and Federal government departments where needed to highlight issues affecting the business community, such as water and and needs support from its many members to continue electricity prices.” performing its vital role in the community.” In addition to lobbying on behalf of its members, the Chamber members are able to choose from several attractive Chamber is also active within the local community promoting membership packages which offer a number of benefits.