Toowoomba council commits $25m to Cressbrook Dam spillway upgrade, mountain biking precinct plan delayed

Toowoomba’s long-awaited mountain biking precinct plan is among a number of key projects shelved, as the council made significant changes to its budget due to a looming $300m dam upgrade.

Major budget changes, CSG activity pauses and the future of the Jondaryan Woolshed were all debated at the November ordinary meeting of the Toowoomba Regional Council.

Here are the highlights:

Council slashes projects amid dam spillways upgrade

Toowoomba’s long-awaited mountain biking precinct master plan was among a number of key projects shelved as the council wreaked havoc on its budget due to a looming $300m dam upgrade.

There were major changes at the TRC’s September budget review on Tuesday, which saw the councillors endorse the “reprioritisation” of nearly $21m in projects and funding.

Chief among them was the mountain biking master plan, which had been endorsed since 2019 but had to be delayed to allow more time for redesigns of the project.

This came after the council voted last year to remove Redwood Park from the plan following concerns from environmental groups.

“Additional design work is needed to ensure appropriate access for emergency services, particularly in areas outside Jubilee Park,” councillor Tim McMahon said in a statement.

“Project staff are considering a staged approach that will start with less complicated design elements, allowing time for more complex design and safety elements to be considered.

“Given recent developments, it is unlikely there will be a start on construction in this financial year.”

Speaking at the meeting, a despondent Mr McMahon said the delay was a bitter but necessary pill to swallow.

“We had a mountain bike precinct that was ready to roll this year and has fallen victim to reprioritisation under ECS, along with $6.5m worth of projects,” he said.

“This was a project I was passionate about and looking forward to seeing done, but I think overall there is about $20.6m in prioritisations in this BR1, and as an organisation we need to watch every penny.”

Other cuts have been made to help allocate $25m towards the start of the $300m Cressbrook Dam Safety Upgrade project, which the council must substantially complete within two years.

Mayor Geoff McDonald said he was continuing to try to secure external funding to help pay for the spillways project, with his monthly report revealing a new avenue for federal funding.

“In the last month, council has expressed our interest in round two of the Disaster Ready Funding (DRF) administered by the National Emergency Management Agency,” he wrote.

“The DRF is scheduled for release in 2024, and round one allowed for up to $20m (from a total of $200m) for projects that improve Australia’s resilience and reduce the risk of natural disasters.”

Mr McDonald also met with state ministers recently as part of the Council of Mayors South East Queensland delegations, with discussions including the spillway.

As a result of the changes, the council has expanded its capital works budget by nearly $14m, with projects like the fourth stage of the Mount Kynoch water treatment plant receiving another $2m.

It has also revised its operational budget surplus down by about $650,000 to $455,000, with the council’s income and expenditure exploding by more than $80m each due to flood recovery works that were reimbursed by the state government.

Woolshed to remain in council control

One of the Toowoomba region’s most maligned historical sites will be directly controlled by the council for another three years, in an investment worth more than $1.6m.

Councillors at Tuesday’s ordinary meeting endorsed the continued management model of the Jondaryan Woolshed in a bid to complete the remaining recitifcation works (estimated at between $5-7m) and further increase revenue streams.

It comes more than two years after the TRC dissolved its controlled entity Jondaryan Woolshed Pty Ltd and took control of the asset.

An independent analysis into the operating model options, which recommended the troubled site be controlled by a not-for-profit entity again, was delivered in August last year.

Since then, the Woolshed has reopened for select events like weddings and open days and delivered modest revenue streams in this financial year of $46,000 so far.

In his report, property services manager Hugh Dunne argued adopting the interim operating model of direct control would increase the asset’s annual revenue to nearly $200,000 per year, resulting in a net loss of $372,000.

“While it is important that council establish a long-term management model for the JWS, current constraints, including asset condition and operating revenue are identified constraints at this time,” he wrote.

“Given the success of the current direct management model, it is proposed that continued operations or a three-year period would enable council to resolve these constraints and improve the range of options available when considering long term operating models.”

Environment and community general manager Nick Hauser said his Woolshed had moved to a more targeted revenue strategy.

“We’re not proposing to be all things to all people, but we’re providing targeted tour group opportunities, running weddings and other targeted events like Australia Day across the year,” he told councillors on Tuesday.

Councillor Carol Taylor said she was encouraged by the report, saying the woolshed could be “entering a really good era”.

Councillor Bill Cahill, Friday, July 21, 2023. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Councillor calls for CSG moratorium

The Toowoomba Regional Council has called for a moratorium on new coal-seam gas activity across the region, in a move praised by farmers and activists.

Councillor Bill Cahill’s motion at Tuesday’s ordinary meeting, which was endorsed unanimously by his colleagues, comes after the TRC made submissions to the Queensland government’s consultation paper on CSG-induced subsidence management.

Mr Cahill, who attended a special CSG forum organised near Cecil Plains in August, said the council needed to show support to its residents who were potentially affected by future CSG activity.

“I’m not saying we put an end to CSG exploration and mining, what I am saying is it’s a time for us to pause,” he said.

“We should ask the state to take a check on this to make sure our residents are being looked after.

“That’s what our residents were calling for us to do.”

The chief proponent of GSC exploration is Arrow Energy, which wants to drill thousands of wells as part of its Surat gas project.

Property owner Liza Balmain speaking at the Protecting Prime Ag Land soil symposium at "Glendon", Nangwee hosted by independent Suzie Holt, Saturday, August 26, 2023. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Cecil Plains farmer Liza Balmain praised the motion by the council.

“We are delighted that the Toowoomba Regional Council has taken this valiant, strong and proactive stand to protect our region’s invaluable natural assets including our pivotal prime agriculture, our environment and our groundwater resources, relied upon by so many regional residents,” she said.

“It is so encouraging to see a council listening to its local communities and advocating for the precautionary principle to protect the future food, water, and climate security of our region.

“Toowoomba council has shown itself to be an outstanding, visionary and progressive council which we applaud wholeheartedly.”

E-scooter CBD programs delayed

The Toowoomba Regional Council has abandoned its plan to allow the roll-out of hire e-scooter fleets on city streets until it can fund a trial.

Councillors voted at Tuesday’s ordinary meeting to defer any decision on a trial until at least until after the second budget review early next year.

It comes after it was revealed the rollout of e-devices like scooters and bikes would cost $115,000 in the first year and $40,000 every year after that.

“Firstly, any trial is about council potentially partnering with companies for the public hire of e-devices,” infrastructure chair councillor Carol Taylor said.

“It does not include any involvement around private ownership of e-scooters and e-bikes.

Ms Taylor said TRC had explored the learnings of other regional cities in Queensland that had introduced e-devices, as well as community consultation with Toowoomba residents which showed a range of views.

“E-scooters and e-bikes are transport elements that have been identified in the current refresh of the Toowoomba Region Sustainable Transport strategy,” she said.

“We want to see less cars on the road and will continue pursuing options to make this an active and healthy region.

“While council has determined that a 12-month trial can go ahead, that can only happen on the basis of budget being made available.”