Currumbin Eco-Parkland

Economic Development Queensland will be hosting the first of its community and stakeholder engagement face-to-face activities for the Currumbin Eco-Parkland this week.

We have invited a number of groups with environmental interest in the site to attend an initial session on Wednesday evening – 23 March.

We are working to schedule another session for other interested parties such as sporting and recreation groups to attend. To avoid public and school holidays this session will likely be after Easter.

Details about the sport and recreation groups session and further community engagement opportunities will be available on our Have Your Say page shortly.

We are transitioning to the next phase of our community engagement. To allow us to review and analyse the feedback received to date from the What are your thoughts? survey and comments pinned to the interactive plan, we will conclude both tools on Friday 18 March 2022.

We thank those visitors to our Have Your Say page who have actively shared their ideas, concerns and aspirations around future uses of the parkland. The comments pinned to the interactive options plan and the feedback from the “What are your thoughts?” survey, have highlighted a diverse range of perspectives. The feedback from these two consultations will inform further work we are currently undertaking with our landscape designer, considering possibilities for the parkland master plan.

You can continue to talk with us and ask questions using the Q&As tab.

The new phase we are entering will include face-to-face community and stakeholder engagement consultation activities. These activities will be scheduled throughout late March and April, avoiding public and school holidays. Further details about these activities will be available on our Have Your Say page.

Should the proposed Currumbin Eco-Parkland focus on delivering sporting and recreational elements, opportunities for rehabilitation of the natural environment through eco-tourism, or protection of local koala habitats?

Should there be all-abilities playgrounds, a zipline, camping facilities or an on-site plant nursery?

What are your thoughts?

We are looking for the community to assist in the design and shared vision for the future master plan and transformation of the 148-hectare parkland at Currumbin into one of Australia’s biggest eco-parklands.

To get involved, you can:

• leave a comment in the interactive options plan
• complete a What are your thoughts? Survey

Or if you want to get involved even further, please register an Expression of Interest to attend future consultation forums.

It has been a challenging start to the year. To give you a little more time to register an Expression of Interest to attend consultation forums, we have extended the closing date to 7 February 2022.

Following the acquisition of 148 hectares of land on the Southern Gold Coast to transform it into the Currumbin Eco-Parkland the Queensland Government is seeking community feedback on a range of options for the site. This information will help to ensure the project delivers on community expectations. Feedback is being sought on the proposed use, and prioritisation of investment, for the parkland.

The 148-hectare parkland site provides a unique opportunity for recreational purposes, the preservation and rehabilitation of sensitive environmental communities, and the protection of koala habitats and local fauna.

It is anticipated that, like other such parklands, the Currumbin Eco-Parkland will evolve over time and may take up to 10-15 years to develop the site for its intended purpose.

Accordingly, it’s important to understand the expectations and priorities of the community to ensure we get it right and deliver the things the community most want to see.

To obtain this feedback the Queensland Government has prepared an options plan for the Currumbin Eco-Parkland to illicit responses from the community.

EDQ plans to roll out the consultation process across two stages from mid-December 2021, through to the end of March 2022.

Phase 1 Consultation

EDQ has released an options plan for the Currumbin Eco-Parkland that shows ideas that could be delivered on the site.

The options plan for the Currumbin Eco-Parkland has been prepared based on consideration of the site constraints and opportunities, and a preliminary understanding of what the community would like to see in the parkland.

This is the starting point to creating a detailed master plan that will include all of the staging and cost requirements.

The options plan includes recreational facilities such as 17 kilometres of walking trails and a mountain biking skills precinct. The plan also includes a recreation and education precinct, which could be used for school camps as well as picnic areas, bird-hides, barbecue facilities, multiple lookouts, an information kiosk and a café

EDQ is seeking community feedback on the options plan.

During stage 1 of the consultation process community members can provide their feedback using a variety of methods:

• By providing comments on the options plan on the Currumbin Eco-Parkland HYS page https://haveyoursay.dsdilgp.qld.gov.au/currumbin-eco-parkland
• By completing a survey on the Currumbin Eco-Parkland HYS page https://haveyoursay.dsdilgp.qld.gov.au/currumbin-eco-parkland/survey_tools/what-are-your-thoughts
• By adding a question to the Q&A section on the HYS page on the Currumbin Eco-Parkland HYS page https://haveyoursay.dsdilgp.qld.gov.au/currumbin-eco-parkland/qanda
• By registering to participate in consultation forums that will be scheduled based on community interest, in February and March 2022.

This information will be used to further inform the master planning process and will close on 31 January 2022.

Phase 2 Consultation

EDQ is keen to hear from community members who are interested in attending consultation forums to be scheduled in February and March 2022 to discuss the future of the Currumbin Eco-Parkland. Forums will be designed based on the level of interest in community participation and we will be in contact in February 2022 to outline what is proposed.

Feedback from these forums will help inform the development of the master plan for the site.

To register your interest in being part of this process you must first be registered as a member of the Have your say page. Your details will assist us to keep in touch with you.

Registration will close at 5:00 pm on 31 January 2022. After 31 January, EDQ will contact all registered parties to discuss future strategy and activity.

The Queensland Government has today announced the acquisition of 148 hectares of land on the Southern Gold Coast to transform it into Currumbin Eco-Parkland. Read our Ministerial announcement.

Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development Steven Miles said the acquisition of what is known locally as Martha’s Farm or Martha’s Vineyard, delivers on an election commitment to the local community.

EDQ will soon be announcing future community consultation opportunities via the Have Your Say site.

Please register for updates at Have Your Say to be kept informed on how to contribute your ideas and suggestions to the future use of the site.