Aspiration for Yeppoon Main Beach

The following article was published in the daily paper on Saturday. The Weber Wave Pool and Schweeb actually exist. Google them. Imagine what they would trigger (development wise) on the Capricorn Coast. Hopefully a private developer might find it interesting enough to pursue it with Council. 

Looking over their shoulder they manoeuvred their boards in preparation for the next wave.  A perfect one point five metre tube rose behind them.  Here on Yeppoon’s main beach was their chance to perfect a 360.  The new Webber Wave Pool was an immediate hit.  With the Bruce Highway now by-passing Rockhampton, the Capricorn Regional Council was pro active in marketing Yeppoon as not just a stop over but a holiday destination.  Realising that beaches alone were not enough, in a joint venture with a private developer the Council converted the old hospital site on Anzac Parade and Appleton Park into a circular wave pool with high-rise accommodation with ground level shops on the island created in the middle of the pool.  To help overcome parking problems and add an extra element to the development a Schweeb track was built from the Scenic Highway side of Ross Creek across to the wave pool.  The novelty of the pedal powered mini mono rail saw the track quickly extend down Anzac Parade to the new Strand Hotel Apartment Complex (with further plans to extend down James Street to the shopping centres).  Face Book and You Tube videos of the Yeppoon beach front from inside the Schweeb capsules certainly weren’t hurting tourism.  Together with the northern Bruce Highway access into Yeppoon and the new Great Keppel Island resort the Capricorn Coast was now booming, attracting not only more tourists but residents and businesses as well.  Confidence in developing a mono rail train service linking Yeppoon, Emu Park with the Rockhampton train station was strengthening.  A service that would not only be utilised by tourists to see more of the Capricorn Coast, but also Rockhampton residents frequenting the coasts restaurants and new wave pool, plus Gladstone based workers who reside on the Capricorn Coast.  Enabling them to easily get the connecting Hassell Bullet train Rockhampton to Gladstone return service.

This aspiration can happen, if we make it happen.  Our future is not to see, but to create.  By showing how Central Queensland can continue to make a significant contribution to the State and nation’s economy after the resource boom gives us a stronger argument for the infrastructure needed.  Major infrastructure projects like the ones suggested here.  Infrastructure that’s needed now to help create the CQ we aspire to.

Constructive Noise

This is the 3rd letter I sent to the local paper. However it never got published, they said it was too long. If we all start talking more about what this region needs then more notice will be taken. This blog is part of the constructive noise. You can add to it. Central Queensland is on the brink of being something real special, but it won't just happen, we have to make it happen.

“If you want to know the future, go out and create it”.

I heard these words (or something similar) when “Aussie” John Symond addressed a RING function here in Rockhampton recently. In my past 2 letters I’ve made some suggestions of a possible future scenario for Rockhampton, Gladstone and Capricorn Coast. I was hoping that as well as getting some comment, that the letters might stimulate some action. Action towards developing a tri-city concept, pooling the strengths of each, to attract more people to live, work and play in Central Queensland.

Why? Because I believe in John Symond’s statement.  To me NOW is the time to turn thoughts into action.  The political timing is right.  A state election is looming.  We have a federal Labor member in a minority federal government. There are regional independent politicians who have unprecedented input into federal government policy.  And, the combination of the mining boom mark II, grazing and agricultural industries are all pointing toward Central Queensland as the engine room of Australia.

The timing is as good as it gets.

Not just asking for band aid projects, but major “population generator” projects. Projects that make Central Queensland more liveable, desirable, perception changing, future orientated and sustainable even after the resource boom ends. I mean is it unrealistic for an international airport between Rockhampton and Gladstone serviced by a high speed train service between the two cities be built. This would solve a few issues, wouldn’t it?

While not being critical of anyone and maybe I’m a bit naïve about the right processes, why isn’t there more ‘constructive noise’ being made in Brisbane and Canberra about getting major infrastructure dollars for our region.

By constructive noise, I mean communication that is well supported – ideally by all the Central Queensland councils, major employers, unions and elected government representatives.  Noise that is devoid of political party interests, ego’s, old rivalries, etc. Noise that is collaborative, co-ordinated, persuasive, persistent and passionate.

Instead of the federal minister of Regional Australia and Regional Development, Simon Crean leaving Rockhampton thinking that a fly in fly out workforce is the only solution for the Central Queensland resource boom was he presented a co-ordinated alternative plan? A plan showing how a good percentage of the workforce could live in the community they worked, or near enough to. A plan that showed how workers could go home to their family after each completed shift.

A very fast train service between Rockhampton and Gladstone could be part of this plan. Extend the service out west and not only are you giving families more reasons to relocate to Central Queensland, but we’re getting infrastructure that can be continued to be used after the resource boom is over. We’re demonstrating to the world what an innovative, forward planning region we are.

If we do not get action taken now, what chance is there in getting major infrastructure funding after the resource boom is over?

Is there a plan on how to keep our mining towns sustainable after the resource boom? How will the impact on Rockhampton, Capricorn Coast, Gladstone, Emerald, etc., economies be minimised?

Families relocating to live, work and play in Central Queensland will help make our towns sustainable after the boom, fly in-fly out doesn’t.

To me it’s vital that we pool all our resources, energies and visions to generate enough ‘constructive noise’ out of Central Queensland that Brisbane and Canberra will not only take notice of it, they’ll action it.

Central Queensland can be so much more than the engine room of Australia; it has tremendous and still untapped potential as an international region recognised for its natural beauty, liveability and innovativeness.

Constructive noise, I hope this letter has made a contribution towards it and helps stimulate action. We can’t change our past, but we create our future. Lets all add some ‘constructive noise’ in creating it. Our best opportunity is here, now, let’s not let it pass.

Aspiration for CQ Letter 2

As a follow up to my first letter I sent the below to the local paper for publication. Love to see a similiar web site developed to the one mentioned below. I welcome any comments you may have about the letter.

A click on the mouse starts the video in the centre of the website.  Young children are seen playing tennis at the Victoria Park Courts in Rockhampton alongside their parents.  On the way home they pass the refurbished south side pool complex.  The image dissolves to the parents engaged in their occupations at one of the billion dollar industrial plants in Gladstone.  The scenery changes to sun, small surf and sand as the family enjoys the beaches and attractions of the Capricorn Coast.  The video ends with a pitch to live, work and play in Central Queensland’s Tri Cities – Rockhampton, Gladstone and Capricorn Coast.  Tri-rific opportunities, Tri-rific lifestyle, the Tri-rific alternative to the big city rat race.

Yes I’m daydreaming again, questioning why a synergy that to me appears so logical does not appear to be actively pursued by our community leaders.  I believe a local infrastructure wish list has been drawn up.  However one project, not on the list, that I believe is vital for the Rockhampton/Gladstone regions is a high speed train service between the two cities, making a live, work and play tri city concept possible and marketable. 

Why do we need a marketable tri city concept?  Gladstone, with the billion dollar projects planned needs more workers, but faces the challenges of where to accommodate them.  A fly-in fly-out solution with the social costs that come with it is surely a last resort.  Rockhampton needs a higher population rate.  If the city continues to only grow at around 3% (as it has over the last five years) while the state population grows at 10%, not only will it continue to slide down the list of Queensland’s most populated cities but arguably Rockhampton will find it harder to attract professionals like specialist doctors and consequently the services that they can provide.  One vote one value generally means more populous centres getting a bigger share of infrastructure and services.  We are in a competitive market; with not only the south east corner, but Cairns, Townsville and Mackay, for funds and services.  By marketing the tri cities of Rockhampton, Gladstone and Capricorn Coast as one destination we are all in a stronger position to effectively compete and help each other to meet the challenges each city faces.  However, like the chicken and the egg we need the necessary infrastructure first to make the tri city concept marketable.  A high speed train service that enables people to commute between Rockhampton and Gladstone in around thirty minutes is sellable.  Sellable to people who want to not only work in Gladstone, but go home to their family each day.  Sellable to people who have had enough of the big city rat race.

Have a look at the website www.evocities.com.au.  The NSW Government with the support of the Federal Government is actively promoting Sydney-siders to move to regional centres, NSW regional centres.  I can’t find an equivalent Queensland website.

We hear about the pressures on the south east corner infrastructure caused in part by interstate migration.  Is spending more on infrastructure in the south east corner really solving the problem or just band aiding it?  A smart solution to me is make another destination a real viable alternative, a destination that has jobs to offer, affordable housing, beautiful beaches and islands.  Live, work and play; between the Rockhampton/Gladstone regions we’ve got it all. We just need the suitable infrastructure to really link it all together then sell it.  If we are the smart state, here’s one way to prove it.

An Aspiration for Central Queensland

A paper lasts a day maybe two if your lucky, the internet is forever...
I thought it best to publish my musings, that have previously been published in the local newspaper the Morning Bulletin, for a greater readership and longevity.

Hope you enjoy the first, I will continue to add new content each week.

26th March, 2011

A Tri-City Vision

The slick high speed train quietly departs Rockhampton, within 15minutes it stops on route to Gladstone at the recently completed International Airport. The train quickly regains momentum in reaching its 255km top speed. The remaining passengers are predominantly workers. They use the 3 times a day half hour Rockhampton Gladstone service to commute to and from their place of employment. Its 2020, the politics and egos of intercity rivalry have been replaced by vision and logic. A tri-city co-operative approach between Rockhampton, Gladstone and the new city of Capricorn Coast is reaping the benefits of the massive developments of the last 9 years.

Logic determined that Gladstone’s infrastructure wasn’t able to cope with the influx of workers that were needed for its major industrial projects. The alternative of a fly in fly out workforce wasn’t going to leave the city better for the developments. This led to a co-operative submission with Rockhampton Regional Council to the State and Federal Governments to provide infrastructure funding that encouraged families of the migrating workers to live in Rockhampton while working in Gladstone. Finally the pressing demands on the South East corner’s infrastructure led to the State Government convincing the Federal Government of the logic of the submission. Significant funding was made available over the next 9 years for major infrastructure projects to adequately cater for a combined Rockhampton Gladstone region population of 350000.

During this time Rockhampton Regional Council finally realized Rockhampton City wasn’t going to be a tourist destination especially since the highway by-pass had been completed. Fortuitously the by-pass re-entered the original highway before the Yeppoon turn-off which led to more road travelers stopping over at Yeppoon. The consequence of this together with tourism marketing focused on the Capricorn Coast was that car and coach travelers were finding out the Rockhampton region did have a lot to offer. The resulting longer, repeated visits and Facebook recommendations were not only improving tourist related businesses, but the extra development it was creating broadened the coasts economic base.

This vision for 2020 is just some of my thoughts on what I believe is needed. Needed to leave the community’s of Rockhampton, Gladstone and Capricorn Coast better for the development explosion that is about to occur throughout Central Queensland. Not just the multi-national’s involved in the developments.

No doubt there is a lot of planning going on behind the scenes, but is there a vision for these communities. A vision we can all embrace!

Forums ask what people would like, but what vision do the people of Rockhampton and Gladstone regions have for the year 2020 and beyond? An international airport to service both Rockhampton and Gladstone. A high speed train service running between both centres. Freeing up the flood prone Rockhampton airport to be a world class motorama park. Where speedway could have a proper home beside a drag strip and the current passenger terminal housing the Peter Brock car collection/museum.

Instead of just having these thoughts expressed in the paper could a local media organization seek out visionary ideas from the community? Too often ideas like a water park at the former Yeppoon Hospital site are mentioned then shelved away. Our community leaders appear to be bogged down with day to day issues. So let’s make determining a vision that we all embrace a day to day issue. An on-going, non-political, community driven forum.

The CQ NRL Bid demonstrates that what once seemed impossible maybe is achievable.

I believe that if a media organization was to dedicate on-going resources to seeking then help define a vision, that it too could be achievable. After all a vision that the whole community supports, based on logic, based on need - that’s a vision that governments cannot ignore. Be good to see one of the media run with it.