Budget for your neighbourhood

By Kirra Livingstone

DIVISION 1 HIGHLIGHTS

THE historic $1 billion Sunshine Coast Council budget unveiled a number of initiatives for Division 1 in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. Spending includes over $1 million for Landsborough, including streetscaping and $235,000 for the museum.

Division 1 budget highlights include:

• $1,085,000 towards the Landsborough Streetscape – Stage 2 upgrades

• $235,000 towards the Landsborough

Museum – Identified Risk Renewals

• $200,000 towards Landsborough

Sports to finalise LED Lighting Design and Construction

• $160,000 towards the Beerwah Cemetery entrance feature and carparking

• $120,000 towards the Howard Walker Park

Perimeter Fence Install in Peachester

• $107,000 towards the Beerwah Master

Drainage Plan Stage 2

• $100,000 towards the Johnston Road

Upgrade – Design in the Glass House Mountains

• $100,000 towards the Mill Park Boundary

Fence Installation Stage 1 in Beerwah

• $85,000 towards the Emma Place Pathway connection through to Coochin Twins

Estate in Beerwah

• $70,000 towards the Old Gympie Road

Pathway Continuation in Beerwah

• $70,000 towards the Rotary Settlers Park

Fence Renewal in the Glass House Mountains

• $40,000 towards the Beerburrum Streetscape Improvements Division 1 Councillor Rick Baberowski said funding for projects such as the Landsborough streetscape stage two upgrades was a huge win for the region.

“There is a $1,085,000 allocation for Stage 2 of the Landsborough Streetscape, which includes a $500,000 grant from the State Government’s South-East Queensland Community Stimulus Program,” he said.

“Stage 2 works will include construction of new pathway connections, a new lawn area for community events, multiuse shelters, a fenced playground area and additional shade trees.

“This project is part of the multi-stage Landsborough placemaking master plan which was designed in collaboration with the local community and endorsed by Council in January 2020.”

Cr. Baberowski praised the beautification, with numerous parks across the division earmarked to benefit, including Newton, Settlement and Mill Park Beerwah.

“There will be numerous renewals, additions and enhancements undertaken in so many of our favourite parks across Glass House Mountains, Little Mountain, Landsborough,

Beerwah families Beerwah.” also highlighted the importance and neccesity for Heritage $2.

“Whilst we really understand the community faces some very hard challenges - which to some extent are only emerging now as interest rises start to impact disposable income, I am still really pleased that this council have discussed two levies - signifying a recognition we should not go backwards,” he said.

“The Transport Levy gives us the mechanisms or rather the resources to keep pressure on the state and federal governments to recognise the growth of this region, and provide infrastructure that we need to maintain the lifestyle this region so proudly offers.

“We also recognise that the Arts and Heritage Levy will help deliver on a remarkable 20 year arts and a heritage plan, which the community will thank us for going forward .”

DIVISION 5 HIGHLIGHTS

Division 5 councillor Winston Johnston revealed some of the budget highlights for his division in last week’s record $1 billion budget.

Highlights include:

• $2,071,000 towards the Brandenburg

Road Landslip Section in Mooloolah Valley

• $1,500,000 towards Maple Street for upgrades to the Maleny Streetscape

• $910,000 towards the Perrins Road

Gravel Road Upgrade in Diamond Valley

• $879,000 towards the Obi Lane South

On-Road Carparking Construction in Maleny

• $676,000 towards the Mossy Bank Road

Gravel Road Upgrade in Eudlo

• $300,000 towards the Maleny Library for a HVAC System Replacement

• $254,000 towards the Mary Cairncross

Ecological Park in Maleny

• $100,000 towards the Christensens Road

Upgrade for Planning and Design in

Hunchy

• $70,000 towards the Gardners Falls Park

Bollard Renewal in Maleny

• $60,000 towards the Western Avenue pathway’s Survey and Design in Montville

• $60,000 towards the Mountainview Road pathway’s Survey and Design in Maleny

Cr. Johnston said this was the council’s best budget to date since he became councillor.

“This is by far, in the four budgets I’ve been involved with, the most satisfying and positive budget process, and I feel our councillors have worked cohesively and without much heat in relation to the allocation of funds,” he said.

“As a result, most of us have received large portions of what we have asked for in our divisions, and I’d like to say that I’m really proud that this year the budget will be delivering some 47 individual projects in Division 5. Some of which are quite substantial.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing a range of projects break ground this financial year, and I think these diversified projects will excite our community as we turn the lens on small hinterland hubs, rural residents and our many community groups.”

Mr Johnston acknowledged that while the budget for Division 5 seemed more focused on Maleny this financial year, many of the Division Five towns had received money for projects in the budget.

“It may seem that some of these major projects are a bit Maleny- centric in relation to what’s happened, however that’s not the case as there are a diversity of projects in a lot of different areas,” he said.

“My key priorities are to keep our division connected on our country roads which is why this budget delivers on gravel road upgrades, lane widening, intersection upgrades and pedestrian improvements to several roads.”

$100,000 was allocated towards the Christensens Road upgrade for planning and design in Hunchy and Conondale’s Tete Park was allocated $20,000 towards the bollard run renewal vehicle gate install. Check out 2023/24 Budget (sunshinecoast.qld. gov.au) to see the full Sunshine Coast Council 2023/2024 budget.

Chick, chick, boom! Green light for 450,000-hen farm

A MASSIVE poultry farm that will house over 450,000 hens in the hinterland has been approved by the Sunshine Coast Council.

The proposal, lodged by Woodlands Poultry Farm at Beerburrum in September last year, was approved by all but two councillors during an ordinary meeting following the delivery of the council’s landmark $1 billion budget.

Division 1 Councillor, Rick Baberowski, said he was opposed to the project on environmental concerns, while also raising ethical issues, comparing it to the potential impact of a proposed puppy farm in 2021.

“The proposed development departs from the purpose of the overall outcome, as adverse environmental impacts are not avoided or appropriately managed in the proposal,” he said.

“This is not an unknown path for us, in October 2021, this chamber refused an application for a puppy farm designed for the mass breeding of dogs confined to small spaces and subsequent sale… we did this in large due to the planning scheme considerations of scale and intensity.

“In that case, the scale was dozens to hundreds of dogs. In the application before you now, has 452,000 animals at any one time, potentially 2 million per year, kept in far higher densities in artificial and stressful conditions for the whole of their lives.” Councillor Jason O’Pray was also against the proposal. The proposal was passed 7-2.

Woodlands said it was aiming to capitalise on the booming demand for chicken products.

The proposal for its Red Road, Broiler Farm 12 includes increasing shed numbers from four to 10, which would increase hen numbers from 172,500 to 452,640.

Woodlands has been operating in the region since the 1970s ,and employs approximately 180 people across the company.

The company said odour and noise reports showed there would be minimal adverse impact on surrounding properties.

“The proposed sheds have been purposefully designed and located to integrate with the existing development and minimise the potential for any adverse impacts for surrounding land or properties,” the report stated.

“The sheds are of a similar scale to that which lawfully exists onsite and are within proximity of the existing development footprint as much as reasonably possible to minimise any clearing.”