Community Plan 2011-2026
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Scenic Rim COMMUNITY PLAN 2011-2026 Revised 2018 A VISION AND PLAN FOR OUR REGION’S FUTURE MAP CONTENTS 2 14 MAYOR’S MESSAGE SPECTACULAR SCENERY AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT 3 15 ABOUT THE COMMUNITY PLAN SUSTAINABLE AND PROSPEROUS ECONOMY 4 16 OUR REGION OPEN AND RESPONSIVE GOVERNMENT 5 17 OUR HERITAGE RELAXED LIVING AND RURAL LIFESTYLE 6-7 18 ORIGIN OF TOWNS VIBRANT TOWNS AND VILLAGES 8-9 19 OUR IDENTITY ACCESSIBLE AND SERVICED REGION 10-11 20 A CHALLENGING FUTURE HEALTHY, ENGAGED AND RESOURCEFUL COMMUNITIES 12 21-23 COMMUNITY VIEWS MAKING IT HAPPEN 13 24 OUR VISION THANK YOU Scenic Rim Community Plan 2011 - 2026 1 MAYOR’S MESSAGE It is my pleasure to present the As such, the review that was the updated Scenic Rim Community Community Plan Pulse Check of Plan 2011-2026. early 2018 identified the need for some minor revisions and additions This plan was initially developed to recognise the changes that have following consultation with Scenic occurred as our region has continued Rim residents and business operators to grow and develop during the past during 2010 as a vision shared by five years. Council and the community for the future of our region. Further Although seen through a new lens, community consultation in the Community Plan nevertheless early 2018 has ensured that our maintains the focus that we believe Community Plan continues to reflect is so important for the future of our community needs and aspirations. community. We regard the Community Plan as We recognise the vision of the Scenic the collective voice of our Scenic Rim community embedded in the Rim community, guiding our five- Community Plan and regard it as a year Corporate Plan and our annual valuable document to provide long- Operational Plan and shaping our term direction for the growth and strategies for effective service development of the region. delivery throughout the region. The Community Plan provides a framework for monitoring and review Cr Greg Christensen of outcomes and priorities to assess Mayor, Scenic Rim Regional Council our progress in realising the shared vision for the Scenic Rim. 2 Scenic Rim Community Plan 2011 - 2026 ABOUT THE SCENIC RIM COMMUNITY PLAN The Scenic Rim Community Plan 2011 stakeholders. We remain committed to we want our future community to be - 2026 provides a shared vision and advocating for the implementation of like. Seven themes reflect the vision plan for the region’s future. Developed a long term vision for the area which and give a focus for action. Each together with the community, the recognises the unique beauty, heritage theme includes outcomes describing Scenic Rim Community Plan will guide and landmarks as reflected in the plan. the future state we are seeking and Council, other levels of government priorities that tell us where to put and community action on issues Council has prepared the Scenic Rim our effort. Scattered throughout the including the environment, economic Community Plan following extensive plan are thoughts and ideas from development, social wellbeing, community consultation. It represents community members who shared their infrastructure and governance. an amalgam of views from residents, views about the future of our region. visitors, businesses and community Council will directly consider the organisations. Accordingly, the plan Council looks forward to continuing expectations of the Community Plan should be read together with the to work with all levels of government in its decision making processes and Community Consultation Reports. and the Scenic Rim community to use the Plan as a guide to advocate for implement this vision and plan for the Scenic Rim community at other The plan includes a vision statement the future. levels of Government and with other that provides an expression of what Scenic Rim Community Plan 2011 - 2026 3 OUR REGION Located in South East Queensland, the Agriculture, native forest and national Scenic Rim boundaries stretch from Peak parks are the dominant land uses. The Crossing and Gleneagle in the north Brisbane to Sydney railway line and down to the New South Wales border, two interstate highways pass through and from Tamborine Mountain in the the region which is well-serviced with east, to Cunningham’s Gap in the west. community infrastructure including over 1,700km of roads. The region is framed by mountain ranges including the Main Range, With a growing economy and a Mistake Range, McPherson Range and gross regional product of over $1,200 Teviot Range. It also encompasses million, the Scenic Rim boasts low valleys including Christmas Creek, unemployment. Retail trade is the Fassifern, Warrill, the Albert River, dominant employer, closely followed Logan River, Coomera River and the by manufacturing, construction and Bremer River Valleys and three dams, agriculture, forestry and fishing. Lake Maroon, Lake Moogerah and Wyaralong Dam. The region values its rural, natural and Aboriginal heritage and has a growing Scenic Rim covers 4,256 square arts and tourism sector. Scenic Rim kilometres and is home to is recognised for its biodiversity approximately 39,000 people. Most and contains World Heritage Listed residents of this rapidly growing Rainforest, one fifth of Queensland’s region live in the towns of Beaudesert, plant species and more than 200 rare Boonah, Canungra, Kalbar, Kooralbyn, or threatened plants and animals. Rathdowney, Tamborine Mountain and Aratula. 4 Scenic Rim Community Plan 2011 - 2026 OUR HERITAGE Long before Europeans arrived, The journals of early European Aboriginal people lived with and cared explorers are full of glowing references for this land using laws and practices to the region’s natural beauty. handed down by their ancestors. Historical documents mention the European explorers and settlers Mununjali, Yugambeh and Ugarapul searched for timber and established peoples and describe how they traded pastoral properties. Captain Patrick resources and interacted with relatives Logan, commandant of the penal and other family groups through a settlement at Moreton Bay (Brisbane) complex network of trails that criss- was the first European explorer to crossed the region. enter the Scenic Rim in 1827 on an expedition to find a route to Mt Adventurer, naturalist and tourism Warning and Byron Bay. pioneer, Arthur Groom, coined the phrase Scenic Rim in the mid- At the same time, Allan Cunningham twentieth century to describe was on his expedition which led to the chain of mountains which the European discovery of the Darling wrap around the valleys between Downs and Spicer’s Gap. Cunningham Brisbane and Tamborine Mountain. returned in 1829 when he ascended Cunningham’s Gap. This imposing rim of mountains dates back millions of years to a time when The region’s settlements were subject many were active volcanoes. Their to the extremes of nature including legacy, Australia’s most accessible severe drought (e.g. 1877 - 1878) and World Heritage Listed Rainforests and major floods (in 1887, 1893, 1926 and rich alluvial soils continue to be the 1954). Despite these challenges, many region’s lifeblood. distinct communities formed around growing industries including dairy, Scenic Rim’s physical landscape has agriculture and horticulture. long made an impression on visitors. Scenic Rim Community Plan 2011 - 2026 5 ORIGIN OF TOWNS Aratula - Fassifern’s youngest town, the store. Following the 1887 August Engels, built a small store in originated around 1915. It began floods, most businesses relocated 1877 and the town developed around life as Carter’s Gate and was later to higher ground and the present this enterprise. renamed Aratula. commercial and administrative centre was established by 1900 to service Kooralbyn - Kooralbyn formed part of Beaudesert - Squatters took up land surrounding rural enterprises. John ‘Tinker’ Campbell’s ‘Tamrookum’ around Beaudesert in 1842. In the pastoral run until the 1870s when it early 1870s, the area was surveyed Canungra - Canungra was not was divided into the ‘Tamrookum’ and as a town to service expanding formally surveyed until 1915, however ‘Kooralbyn’ properties. ‘Kooralbyn’, agricultural settlements. By the late a settlement developed in the 1880s said to mean ‘Place of the Copperhead 1880s, Beaudesert emerged as the around the Lahey Brothers’ Sawmill. Snake’, has a long association with district’s principal commercial and The town also served emerging horse-breeding and equestrian sports. administrative centre. communities at Beechmont and Tamborine Mountain after the Canungra Beechmont - In the 1870s timber- Branch Railway opened in 1915. The getters and selectors worked their way military area now known as the Kokoda up the Nerang River to Beech Mountain. Barracks was established in 1942. Small-scale sawmilling developed in the twentieth century and dairy farms were Harrisville - The area around established on the slopes of Beech Harrisville was opened for selection Mountain in 1925. Tourism was also during the 1860s. The town probably important with cabins available at Binna originated with the building of the Burra Mountain Lodge from 1933. Royal Hotel in 1875. A railway branch line built in 1882 was a further Boonah - Boonah can trace its incentive to development. origins to the opening of the Blumberg Brothers store in 1882. The Kalbar - German settlers arriving name ‘Boonah’ was first applied to during the 1870s played a major role the railway station and hill behind in establishing Kalbar. One of them, 6 Scenic Rim Community Plan 2011 - 2026 Mt Alford - Mt Alford was previously Rosevale - Churches play an important Warrill View - Warrill View started life called Reckumpilla until renamed after role in the early history of Rosevale: in 1843 as a sheep run called Rosebrook, Thomas Alford who came to manage including the Lutheran (1881), Roman later renamed Normanby, which Coochin Coochin Station. The homestead Catholic (1889) and Church of Christ included amongst its owners George settlement began in the early 1870s and (1896). Dairying was Rosevale’s Thorn who briefly served as Queensland the township in the 1880s.