Four step plan to transform Caboolture into a bustling high street

Overhead footpaths, dining precincts, student accommodation – this experienced small businessman says four innovative solutions could transform Caboolture’s run down King St into a bustling high street.

Caboolture’s King St is hardly a bustling city CBD but experienced small business owner Craig Hewlett says there is no reason it cannot be restored to its former glory.

With a new university campus up and running a stone’s throw from Caboolture and a 27,000 home master planned suburb approved next door – Mr Hewlett says it is now more important than ever to fix up King St.

Developers have already shown they are ready to spend big in the region – transforming parts of the high street with multimillion-dollar office buildings.

Mr Hewlett, operated a real estate agency in King St for nine years – before taking over at the helm of the Moreton Bay Radio, 101.5FM, 21 years ago.

His office used to be inside the old Baker’s Building, which was knocked down just weeks ago to make way for a new office building.

Craig Hewlett from Moreton Bay Radio 101.5 is supportive of a move to revitalise King St. Picture: Bradley Cooper

He recalled a time when people would spend hours catching up with friends at one of the many cafes along King St, long work lunches, dining out for dinner, a business in every shop front.

A far cry from what King St is now.

Mr Hewlett has long worked to have King St spruced up, first as a business owner then through his role as the president of the former Caboolture CBD Traders and Retailers group.

Mr Hewlett played a vital role in the installation of Trail of Reflections along King St in 2001.

These bells at the entrance to the Caboolture CBD form part of the Trail of Reflections.

“I’ve spent 30 years trying to revitalise King St,” he said.

“It is bubbling with opportunity.

“It is a blank canvas and has the most potential out of anything.”

RELATED STORY: DEVELOPERS READY TO SPEND MILLIONS TO REVIVE KING ST

Mr Hewlett says there is no reason King St cannot become a hub for university students studying at the nearby USC Moreton Bay campus, office workers, shoppers and business owners.

“It has to find its own lot in life,” Mr Hewlett said.

“I would hate to lose all the history of what is was and how it was established, we need to acknowledge that still.”

Centenary Lakes at Caboolture – is so close yet so far from the Caboolture CBD.

But he said some innovative measures were needed including overhead walkways linking the train station to the town square, angle parking to allow for easy access to shops, better links to Centenary Lakes and the reformation of the CBD Traders and Retailers Group.

The four step plan:

1. Reinstate the CBD Traders and Retailers Group

Mr Hewlett said it was important that business owners had a body that could take issues and ideas to council and contribute to the “vision”.

2. Bring back angled parking

Bring back angled parking, reduce the speed and traffic along King St.

“There are enough arterial roads now to handle the extra traffic,” Mr Hewlett said.

“Angle parking means people can pull in, grab what they need in 15 minutes and get out.”

3. Create better links with Centenary Lakes

“One of the CBD’s biggest strengths is its access to the water,” Mr Hewlett said.

He is calling for it to be better links to the CBD to allow office workers to eat their lunch on the river “it has so much potential”.

4. Finish off the town square

This includes creating a better link between the CBD and the Caboolture train station by way of an overhead walkway.

“People should be able to walk from the town square to the train station without crossing any roads,” he said.