Current South Burnett councillors gathered around former Kingaroy Shire Mayor Roger Nunn at the children’s play area in Glendon Street to officially rename the car park in Roger’s name
Former Kingaroy Shire councillor – and now SBcare CEO – Cheryl Dalton also spoke at the official naming ceremony

December 16, 2016

Former Kingaroy Shire Mayor Roger Nunn was honoured on Wednesday when the South Burnett Regional Council officially renamed the Glendon Street car park “Roger Nunn Place”.

The car park has been extensively refurbished over the past year to fix several long-standing problems.

They included subsidence in some sections of the road surface, replacement of ageing underground infrastructure, and the removal and replacement of inappropriate shade trees.

Council-owned buildings in the car park – such as the public toilets, the former Glendon Street Community Centre, the Glendon Street bus depot and an adjoining children’s play area – were also refurbished as part of the project.

On Wednesday, Roger, his wife Julie, and former Kingaroy Shire Council CEO Ron Turner paid a flying visit to the South Burnett for the official renaming ceremony.

Former South Burnett Mayor Wayne Kratzmann, who had started the refurbishment project, also attended along with former Kingaroy Shire Council CEO Ron Knopke, who had worked with Roger at the Council for many years.

The South Burnett Regional Council interrupted their last meeting for the year so current Mayor Keith Campbell and his fellow councillors could take part in the ceremony.

Guests spoke about Roger’s many contributions to the development of Kingaroy during his 18 years service on Kingaroy Shire Council, the last 11 of them as Mayor.

Some, such as South Burnett Mayor Keith Campbell, Cr Terry Fleischfresser and SBcare CEO Cheryl Dalton served as councillors under Roger on the Council.

Former South Burnett Mayor Wayne Kratzmann, who was Deputy CEO of Wondai Shire Council before being elected its Deputy Mayor, had worked with Roger over many years on cross-Shire projects through the former South Burnett Local Government Association.

Roger was responsible for the creation of the Kingaroy Visitor Information Centre and the redevelopment of O’Neill Square.

He also helped Shoppingworld expand; developed the Rogers Drive area into a retail park; built the South Burnett Enterprise Centre; and persuaded Kingaroy Shire Council to purchase St Aubyn’s Private Hospital – now the Lady Bjelke-Petersen Community Hospital – when its former owners closed it.

He had also encouraged housing developments in the town and was a great believer in the potential of Kingaroy Airport, which he hoped could become an aircraft manufacturing or pilot training centre one day.

Mayor Keith Campbell said he thought renaming the CBD parking area after Mr Nunn was a very appropriate gesture.

He said Roger had left a positive and lasting mark on the region and the benefits of many of his initiatives were still being enjoyed by residents today.

After the renaming ceremony, guests chatted over a morning tea in the Town Hall Supper Room.

Former Kingaroy Shire Council CEOs Ron Knopke and Ron Turner, and former Kingaroy Shire Finance Manager (now South Burnett Regional Council CEO) Gary Wall, gathered together with Roger after the ceremony to reminisce about past projects they’d tackled together

 

One Response to "Honour For Former Mayor"

  1. Congratulations Roger and Julie on having a Kingaroy facility named in your honor. The tireless work you did to contribute to the Kingaroy community is well remembered by those who shared that era with you. It is somewhat disappointing that those same people were not made aware of this important ceremony as we would have loved the opportunity to catch up and personally offer our congratulations.

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