McKinlay Shire INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN Issue B, Oct 2010 prepared by verge URBAN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE June, 2010 Contents 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 3 2 The Regional Context ............................................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Local Authority Areas and Population Centres ................................................................................ 4 2.1.1 Transport Infrastructure ................................................................................................................... 7 2.1.2 Energy and Telecommunications Infrastructure .............................................................................. 7 2.1.3 Water Management ......................................................................................................................... 8 2.1.4 Economic Resources ......................................................................................................................... 8 2.1.5 Community Services and Facilities .................................................................................................... 9 2.1.6 Housing and Built Environment ........................................................................................................ 9 2.1.7 Environment and Landscape............................................................................................................. 9 3 Shire Wide Infrastructure ....................................................................................................................... 12 3.1 Shire Overview .............................................................................................................................. 12 3.2 Community Connections ............................................................................................................... 17 3.2.1 Road, Rail and Air ............................................................................................................................ 17 3.2.2 Legibility within the Shire ............................................................................................................... 19 3.3 Economic Diversity and Resilience ................................................................................................ 28 3.3.1 Support for the Existing Beef Industry ............................................................................................ 28 3.3.2 Continued Exploration and Implementation of Mining .................................................................. 28 3.3.3 Energy and Renewable Fuels .......................................................................................................... 29 3.4 Environment and Landscape ......................................................................................................... 37 3.4.1 Relationship to Infrastructure Planning .......................................................................................... 37 3.4.2 Landscape Management ................................................................................................................. 37 4 Julia Creek .............................................................................................................................................. 41 4.1 Background ................................................................................................................................... 41 4.2 Community Connections ............................................................................................................... 46 4.2.1 Legibility and Wayfinding................................................................................................................ 46 4.3 Economic Diversity and Resilience ................................................................................................ 52 4.3.1 New Business .................................................................................................................................. 52 4.3.2 Tourism ........................................................................................................................................... 52 4.4 Community and Cultural Services and Facilities ............................................................................ 64 4.4.1 Pedestrian and Cyclist Circulation .................................................................................................. 64 4.4.2 Community Gathering Spaces......................................................................................................... 64 4.4.3 Other Recreation Opportunities ..................................................................................................... 65 4.5 Housing and Built Environment ..................................................................................................... 67 4.5.1 Housing ........................................................................................................................................... 67 4.5.2 Urban Form ..................................................................................................................................... 68 4.5.3 Burke Street Streetscape Improvements ........................................................................................ 69 4.6 Environmental Enhancement ........................................................................................................ 73 4.6.1 Weed Management and Landscape Rehabilitation ........................................................................ 73 4.6.2 Waste and Water Management ..................................................................................................... 73 5 Kynuna ................................................................................................................................................... 76 5.1 Background ................................................................................................................................... 76 5.2 Community Connections ............................................................................................................... 76 5.2.1 Road Network ................................................................................................................................. 76 5.2.2 Legibility and Wayfinding................................................................................................................ 82 5.3 Economic Diversity and Resilience ................................................................................................ 86 5.3.1 Tourism ........................................................................................................................................... 86 McKinlay Shire 1 INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN Issue B 5.4 Community and Cultural Services.................................................................................................. 90 5.4.1 Recreation ....................................................................................................................................... 90 6 McKinlay ................................................................................................................................................ 92 6.1 Background ................................................................................................................................... 92 6.2 Community Connections ............................................................................................................... 92 6.2.1 Legibility and Wayfinding................................................................................................................ 92 6.3 Economic Diversity and Resilience ................................................................................................ 98 6.3.1 Tourism ........................................................................................................................................... 98 6.4 Community and Cultural Services and Facilities .......................................................................... 100 6.4.1 Recreation ..................................................................................................................................... 100 7 Nelia..................................................................................................................................................... 102 7.1 Background ................................................................................................................................. 102 7.2 Economic Diversity and Resilience .............................................................................................. 102 8 Bibliography ......................................................................................................................................... 106 8.1 REFERENCED AND RESEARCH DOCUMENTS ................................................................................ 106 8.2 PHOTOGRAPHS AND PLATE RESOURCES ..................................................................................... 108 APPENDIX 1 ................................................................................................................................................. 110 List of Figures Figure 1. McKInlay Shire: Location Plan, North West Regional Plan Context and Great Artesian Basin 5 Figure 2. North West Region: Major