Bundaberg Regional Council has delivered a new economic roadmap for the region to drive growth and investment over the coming decade.
The Bundaberg Region Economic Development Strategy 2025-2035 was approved at Council’s Ordinary Meeting on 27 January.
The strategy outlines Council’s actions to promote a strong regional economy anchored by firm foundations in agriculture, manufacturing, health, construction and tourism.
Mayor Helen Blackburn said the ambitious strategy built on work already undertaken by Council to encourage investment in the region.
“Council has been working to promote the Bundaberg Region to investors, and with this strategy we have a clear course of action to continue that advocacy,” Mayor Blackburn said.
“As the region is facing an unprecedented surge of investment, Council has to be forward-thinking about how our region can maintain sustainable growth.
“The strategy recognises our challenges but more importantly identifies in what areas Council will focus economic development efforts.
“We will continue to proactively engage with investors and companies to attract those types of developments that will provide long term benefits and enhance quality of life for our community.”
Five key drivers for economic development were outlined in the strategy: workforce planning, business and innovation, investment attraction, enabling infrastructure and development.
Mayor Blackburn said each of the focus areas interrelated, creating an integrated plan to move the region forward.
“The strategy lays out practical, measurable actions for Council to take, specific to the challenges and opportunities we have in our region,” she said.
“The region’s main industries were central to the plan’s development and we are focused on fostering an economic environment in which they can flourish.
“With the region generating over $1.5 billion from agriculture annually, supporting our agricultural industry while balancing the use of land with increased demand for housing is crucial.
“Council has also identified working with the Port of Bundaberg to encourage new opportunities for increased use of the port as a priority, ensuring we make the most of the facility for trade opportunities.”
Through initiatives like the Hotel Demand and Feasibility Study, Mayor Blackburn said Council was able to provide valuable data to potential investors.
“A key priority for investment is accommodation, and Council has been proactively pursuing investors in this area,” she said.
“We are working to increase short term accommodation through hotel investment, along with student accommodation and aged care facilities, to support our focus on education, skilling our future workforce and health as key growth areas.”
The strategy was developed with input from industry, business and residents through an online survey and in-person sessions in Bundaberg, Gin Gin and Childers.
As a result of this consultation, Mayor Blackburn said the strategy’s focus areas reflected the priorities of the community.
“Collaboration is central to our approach and the strategy promotes strong partnerships between government, business and the community,” she said.
“Council now has a clear economic framework to position the Bundaberg Region as a resilient, diversified regional economy.”
The Bundaberg Region Economic Development Strategy 2025-2035 is available on Council’s website here.
Yeah but council is still dragging the chain by complying with state Govt conditions over sub divison of small lots It was supposed to be completed in June last year NOTHING HAS HAPPENED.. It would free up a lot of small acres rural life style blocks but council appears not to care about the small individual only worry about the big investors. And dont care about grey nomad tourist by cloisonné Lipns parks at night. Just because there was a a couple of complaints about alcohol and unrurally behavior when is council going to put a gate in Bourbong street because alcohol and fights happen all the time.
Grey nomad tourists don’t exist. You don’t work all your life to stuff yourself into a caravan that you can barely move around in… people who live in caravans need to be classified as homeless properly so the true magnitude of homelessness can be properly understood & addressed.
It’s well past time to upgrade our Airport runway from 4C to 4D classification to allow for a greater variety of airplanes to take off & land on our runway. Many other Cities got there airport upgraded to 4D already. The Bundaberg Airport Masterplan is due for renewal this year.
Currently the strip is 2000m long & 30m wide. This makes it in thoery 4C classification. Make it as long as we can get it without interfering with the ring road & 45m wide would make sense.
Gladstone airstrip is 1,920m long x45m wide Classification 4D (this was completed in 2011)
Mackay airstrip is 1,980m long x45m wide Classificaiton 4D (is also currently working on a revamped look to take advantage of the Olympics.)
Townsville airstrip is 2,438m x 45m Classification 4D (extensive rework planned much of this is by 2031 with more planned to 2043.)
Cairns airstrip is 3,156m x 45m Classification 4D ($55 million rework of terminal area due for completion last year.)
If you need additional land to support proper wing length & other features buy it up from the neighboring area & get it done.
I didn’t see any mention of how the natural environment is to be protected with all this economic and residential development. This type of growth often sees the destruction of bushland and results in negative impacts on creeks and waterways. Bushland is important for the survival of our native plants and animals which are getting pushed out of their habitats. I have seen many dead kangaroos, wallabies, possums, owls and echidnas killed around new development sites. We need to strike a balance between growth and environment.
I reckon the first thing you want to do is get motel owners to increase there room fees to match or be closer Hervey Bay. There really isn’t much difference between motels of the same star rating in the area & Bundaberg actually offers a stronger tourism experience with considerably more attractions then Hervey Bay dose. We have practically everything HerveyBay dose + Bundaberg has Rum, Ginger Beer, Bert Hinkler, Monrepos, Nanning Friendship Gardens, closer to Lady Mus-grave/ Lady Elliott. Macadamias & more.
If existing motels charged more appropriately for what we have to offer that would go along way to attracting more motel Interest. It will be about how much they can charge for a room. If anything Bundaberg & Bargara should have the most expense motels in Hinkler.
What is Helen standing in front of? It says Pacific Marine Base? Are we getting a Marine Base?
With excessive numbers of young families moving into the rural towns, our schools have increased threefold however roads cannot support the growth. For eg Bundaberg Christian college on Ashfield road. Bottle neck all the way from Elliott Heads to the other side. With daycare centre, junior and high schools students, we never had ‘walk-to-schools’ days or ‘ride-to-schools days. Disaster waiting to happen. Small farming rural road to accommodate 1000 school kids getting in and out of the institution is way too dangerous not only for kids but many parents too. Something needs to be done.
^Kepnock Highschool usto run with upwards of 2500 students 1000 above it’s rated maximum. Somehow there down 1000 students from 2001 but I agree we need new schools/high schools to spread the load out. With the town growing this much it could be only a matter of time before we see the bedlum that was a highschool with 2500 going to it.
As for Bundaberg Christian College I’d also suggest upgrading Ashfield road, Heidkes road, St Johns Road, back springfield road, lovers walk, hummock road, zinks road. With the advent of new shops nearby it’s likely this area needs upgrading to handle even more traffic then what the school generates. As it might turn more residential soon.
A a armed forces base would be a great way to reduce skills shortages in our area. It would have flow on effects as people complete there trades training on the base. Would likely have updated facilities compared to existing tertiary options we do have that are severally dated.
Bundaberg TAFE was selected to host a trades training center we should take advantage of that to help lower our youth unemployment. There’s quite a number of new businesses that have opened in the Kensington area in recent years that would benefit.