Whitsunday council to vote on Airlie Beach car parks, Proserpine Entertainment Centre, Shute Harbour

Car parks, construction, and the Shute Harbour redevelopment are some of the hot button issues up for discussion at the council’s Bowen meeting.

Councillors will vote on whether to make changes to Airlie Beach car parking fees or keep them at the current rates. Picture: File

Here is your round up of issues up for debate at Whitsunday Regional Council’s August 25 meeting at Bowen.

1. Parking fees

Fees for the use of the council’s public off-street car parks in Airlie Beach will be up for discussion, with several options presented for consideration including reducing the rate for the first two hours on either a trial or permanent basis.

The officer’s recommendation is to continue at the current rates “to ensure there is no implication on the current budget due to a decrease in carparking revenue”.

A further recommendation is to wait until the completion and review of a region-wide carparking strategy (stage two) before making any changes to either on-street or off-street parking.

Proserpine Library has been closed since June 14, 2021.

2. Library closure

Proserpine Library, which had been due to reopen at the beginning of September, is up for an extended closure.

The recommendation is to keep the library closed until December 11, 2021, with current arrangements for relocated story time sessions and online borrowing remaining in place.

The reasoning behind the extension is “to ensure the protection to patrons’ health and safety due to ongoing construction works at the neighbouring Proserpine Entertainment Centre and surrounding area including restricted access to the rear and front door of the building”.

3. Shute Harbour

The council will consider entering into a lease agreement with tour company Ocean Rafting for the use of the Shute Harbour Marine Terminal.

The Airlie Beach-based company plans to run a supplementary service from the redeveloped harbour.

The officer’s report states securing tenancies will ensure the Shute Harbour Marine Terminal becomes a pivotal marine asset for the region and a strong operational asset of the Whitsunday Regional Council.

Artist’s impression of the new Proserpine Entertainment Centre.

4. Entertainment centre

The successful tenderer for a $538,000 Proserpine Entertainment Centre contract is expected to be announced, with Brisbane-based company Videopro Pty Ltd recommended as the best candidate to deliver the new centre’s audiovisual and theatre equipment fit-out.

Videopro beat out three other tenderers based on its level of experience, qualified personnel, and familiarity with the layout and requirements of the centre as the current subcontractor for its cabling infrastructure.

The contract includes fit-out equipment for sound, stage lighting, stage lighting control and stage communications systems.

The new centre is expected to be completed by December, 2021.

Aerial view of Heart Reef, Great Barrier Reef. Picture: Brooke Miles

5. Reef plan

The council will vote on continuing its role as a Reef Guardian with the adoption of a new four-year Reef Action Plan for submission to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.

The plan, which includes land, waste and water management actions, climate change and community actions aims to support and build environmental stewardship of coastal areas to reduce impacts on the reef.

Whitsunday joined up to the Reef Guardian program in 2008 and is one of 19 councils along the Queensland coast currently participating.