Oakey’s town centre to get $150k revamp in joint venture by Toowoomba council, Chamber of Commerce, New Hope

The CBD of a growing community in the Toowoomba region is getting a $150,000 facelift thanks to a joint project. Here’s how it will look and when construction will start.

Oakey’s town centre and streetscape will receive a massive refresh this year in a joint project expected to boost the growing community’s appeal to both residents and newcomers.

The Toowoomba Regional Council will start work within months on the $150,000 revamp of Campbell St, which is a collaboration between the council, the Oakey Chamber of Commerce and New Hope Group’s coal mine New Acland.

The upgrade includes 19 new garden beds, new trees, irrigation, extra seating, heritage signs and two “Oakey” signs at either end of the CBD.

Council’s contribution is worth $100,000 in construction and maintenance, with the chamber chipping in $50,000 as well.

Concept art for upgrades to the Oakey town centre.

Environment and community portfolio leader councillor Tim McMahon said the work had been informed by community consultation.

“I have heard loud and clear the community desire and it’s finally getting the go ahead,” he wrote on social media.

“The design was done with community consultation and it’s great to see the community wishes being represented.

“It will be a great asset to take pride in. Happy to see it finally happening.”

Concept art for upgrades to the Oakey town centre.

Infrastructure chair councillor Carol Taylor said she was thrilled to see Oakey become the next town to have its CBD refreshed.

“I’m very pleased about it, and we’re hoping to have the work done by the end of this year,” she said.

“It’s wonderful to see this happening in Oakey, I know it seems to take a while but that’s how budgets play out.

“We’ve got 38 townships, so it’s very difficult to do them all, but we’re picking them off.”

Concept art for upgrades to the Oakey town centre.

It comes a day after the future of one of the town’s main economic contributors, the New Acland coal mine, was secured following news the Department of Water would reaffirm its decision to grant water licence to New Hope.

The mine’s third stage will expand the mine’s operating life out past 2035, more than double its size and dig up about 7.5 million tonnes of coal.

The refresh is expected to start by the middle of this year and should be finished by the end of 2023.