Locals-led report plots path forward for Nambour
From left, Richard Wilson, Owen Abbott, Stephen Burton, Paul William-Smith and Cr David Law.
A community-inspired report, developed by a group of passionate locals, has been presented to Sunshine Coast Council in the interests of sparking discussion and initiating change in Nambour.
The Nambour Realm Revitalisation Strategy was presented to Div 10 Cr David Law during the November Nambour Forecourt Live event.
The report was prepared by a group of volunteers, a group of students from UniSC and leading local experts in the fields of urban design, visual arts, architecture and business. It aims to provide an objective analysis of Nambour and outline a series of solutions.
“We aim to inspire the conversation between stakeholders to drive action,” said contributor Stephen Burton who put together the team in 2020. “This was a deliberate attempt to create a ‘bottom up’ approach whereby the people that were most closely connected to the town were, in my view, the best people to identify and create solutions for its challenges,” he said.
Mr Burton said he was intrigued when he visited in 2006 as to why Nambour’s urban environment bore the hallmarks of a town in decline - numerous empty shopfronts and buildings - despite its obvious advantages: “Fifteen minutes to the beach, sitting on a major train line, a number of educational facilities, a major hospital, beautiful green countryside and environment surrounding it,” he said.
Mr Burton said he discovered that as the once-regional centre for the Sunshine Coast had suffered from the bypassing of the town by the Bruce Highway, the closing of the sugar cane mill and the rapid rise of the coastal strip as an alternative. “These events combined to drive economic activity away from the town and the urban retail environment in particular could no longer sustain the rents required to keep these businesses operational.
“Buildings with large retail footprints would now have to be repurposed if we wanted to erase the perception of a town in decline. Nambour was not a town in decline, rather it was a town whose purpose had changed and it needed a new identity.”
Mr Burton said he hoped the document would spark conversations with government and private industry and other stakeholders who have the power to implement some of its insights.
“Enormous change in our town can be achieved if we have the courage to simply do things a little differently.
“If we succeed, this has the potential to not only change Nambour but also act as a template for other towns who have undergone similar challenges across Australia.”
Contributor Paul William-Smith said the strategy involved enhancing Nambour’s CBD, promoting Nambour’s image and attractions and connecting with and growing Nambour’s residential and business communities.
“The Strategy creates a vision which recognises Nambour’s potential to build on its heritage reputation, as a place of natural beauty that supports active and healthy lifestyles. Nambour offers some key opportunities for CBD reinvigoration in and around Currie Street.
“Upgrades of community facilities, especially parks/open space close to the centre can provide opportunities for catalyst community support, which will reshape Nambour’s future.
“By implementing the activation plan it is predicted that this will change the current status quo for Nambour and create a resilient town. Combined with a rebranding component will also allow Nambour to start transforming those insights into business realities.
“This will be done through revitalising the urban landscape of the CBD, upgrading existing infrastructure, open spaces, streets and parklands, repurposing existing buildings and encouraging social and economic investment.”
Cr Law said the report had been provided to Council’s Namba Place Revitalisation Project Team and included a presentation by Mr Burton to the team. “It is an excellent report that provides a very helpful insight to the future for Nambour from the people who call Nambour home,” Cr Law said. “I have already had requests from some residents to have a copy of the report as there is a lot of interest in creating Nambour’s future that will see people living and working in the CBD area.”