MP addresses community issues at Woombye meeting
Marty Hunt with members of the WCBA
by Cameron Outridge
Member for Nicklin Marty Hunt attended to a laundry list of ongoing issues at the Woombye Community & Business Association’s (WCBA) monthly meeting last week, pledging to be a voice for the community and promising to advocate on behalf of the community where possible.
In his address, Mr Hunt acknowledged the challenges of transitioning from opposition to government, noting the shift from “ministers trying to figure out a way to tell you ‘no’ to all the ministers trying to figure out a way to tell you ‘yes’.”
However, he emphasised that securing funding for community priorities would still require a concerted effort.
“The reality is there’s infinite need and finite resources,” Mr Hunt told the business and community members. “From my point of view, our area’s been left behind for a long time, and there’s a lot of things that we want to do. When those things come from groups like this (WCBA), it’s a much more powerful argument to present to a minister, to present to the treasurer as a community priority.”
Mr Hunt said his government would honour an election commitment to fix the dangerous Nambour Connection Road and Diddillibah Road intersection, with funding expected in the upcoming state budget, around mid-year.
“It is a priority,” Mr Hunt assured the group. “We’ve made a commitment to that. So that will get fixed. We’ll see what’s in the budget and we’ll see what they come up with, and I’ll keep you all up to date through the process.”
He also touched on the long-term plans for the Diddillibah Road sports precinct, a long-awaited Sunshine Coast Council initiative, acknowledging that the project had stalled due to lack of funding. He offered to follow up with the local council on the status of the site and potential grant opportunities.
Regarding maintenance of Nambour Connection Road median strip, the MP acknowledged the ongoing issue, with the median strip often becoming overgrown and obstructing traffic visibility. Jill Kuramoto suggested exploring alternative landscaping options that didn’t obstruct visibility, rather than just more frequent mowing. The MP agreed to raise this with the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) to see if a more sustainable solution can be found.
Another long-standing request from the community was for a pedestrian/cycling pathway connecting the Big Pineapple to Woombye and eventually Nambour. The MP noted this has been discussed for over seven years, and while progress has been limited, the recent upgrades to the intersection of Maroochydore Road and Nambour Connection Road on the Bruce Highway, which included a new pathway to Wildlife HQ, may increase the priority of this project. He agreed to follow up with the council on funding possibilities, particularly through state government walkability programs.
The issue of noise from the nearby rail stabling yard was also raised. Residents have continued to experience disruptive noise, particularly from air conditioning units running at night. The MP committed to directly contact Queensland Rail to understand why this issue has persisted despite previous efforts.
Regarding a state government expired offer of funding for a statue or memorial honouring historic local women, the community acknowledged they regretted not pursiung this opportunity further at the time. Mr Hunt indicated he was open to exploring this idea again if the community has a specific proposal and is ready to move forward.
