Some of the proposed changes for Alford Street in the revitalisation project
South Burnett Mayor Keith Campbell (Photo: SBRC)

March 21, 2019

South Burnett Regional Council has missed out again on funding for the multi-million dollar Kingaroy CBD Revitalisation project.

Council had sought $4 million from the Federal Government to get the much-discussed project off the ground.

If successful, Council had planned to add $4 million of its own funds to the project.

At a special meeting held in November last year, councillors voted to apply for $4 million infrastructure funding from Round 3 of the Building Better Regions Fund.

The total of $8 million would be spent on:

  • Refurbishment of the Hector Munro car park behind the Commonwealth Bank in Kingaroy Street
  • Revitalisation of Haly Street between Kingaroy and Youngman streets
  • Revitalisation of Kingaroy Street to the Kingaroy and Alford street intersection
  • Revitalisation of Alford Street West, between Kingaroy and Youngman streets
  • Street trees planted throughout the CBD
  • Caravan parking bays in Glendon Street, opposite Kingaroy Shoppingworld

However, the results of Round 3 of the Federal Government’s Building Better Regions Fund have been announced and the Kingaroy project is not among them.

Nine not-for-profit groups and councils in the Wide Bay Burnett were successful.

Round 3 was highly competitive with 915 applications received in two streams: for Infrastructure Projects and Community Investments.

South Burnett Regional Council had previously applied for $2 million in Round 2 of the funding program for the Kingaroy project, but that was knocked back last June.

* * *

On Thursday, Mayor Keith Campbell said he was disappointed Council’s second application had been unsuccessful, but this would not prevent a start being made on upgrading Kingaroy’s CBD.

He said Council’s engineers were currently developing costings for two projects, and they would be brought to a Council meeting for approval in the near future.

One of them was an upgrade of the current parking area behind Kingaroy Street’s banks to allow caravan parking as well as cars; and another was the introduction of caravan parking bays in Glendon Street.

Some work on upgrading associated underground infrastructure would also be carried out as part of both projects.

“These two projects were both identified as high priority items during Council’s public consultation meetings,” the Mayor said.

“Other parts of the CBD upgrade will be rolled out progressively as funds permit.”

* * *

Three South Burnett groups received grants under the Community Investments stream:

  • Burnett Catchment Care Association – “Inland Burnett: SMART Audit and Strategic Gap Analysis”
    This project will deliver a regional resource audit and strategic gap analysis of Inland Burnett farming resources and identify impediments farmers face in accessing these resources.
    Total project cost: $119,547
    Total funding: $99,547
  • Bunya Peoples’ Aboriginal Corporation – “Bonye Bu’ru Cultural Gathering and Tourism”
    This project will consist of a cultural gathering that will include workshops to develop a cultural governance model and cultural tourism business plan, and a cultural event for Aboriginal communities and the broader community.
    Total project cost: $19,450
    Total funding: $19,450
  • Burnett Inland Economic Development Organisation Inc (BIEDO) – “North Burnett Community Leaders Workshop Series”
    This project consists of a series of workshops that will enhance leadership and the social and economic capacities of the North Burnett communities.
    Total project cost: $18,500
    Total funding: $18,500

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