Kingaroy Memorial Park’s $33.5m Makeover: Ninja warrior course and court gets green light

A Qld council has approved a $33.5m youth precinct at a sleepy country town’s park, in the hope of curbing youth crime, which will eventually feature an $800k ninja warrior course and more. SEE THE PLANS.

Kingaroy youth precinct plan. Image: SBRC.

A development permit for earthworks for the Kingaroy Memorial Park was approved on Tuesday by the South Burnett Regional Council, which will be the first step in building the park’s youth precinct including a multipurpose court and an $800,000 ninja warrior course.

The youth precinct is part of the $33.5m memorial park master plan project announced in 2022, which will also include an aquatic centre with a heated swimming pool and a fully powered stage.

About $8m is expected to be spent on the park with the rest to be spent on the aquatic centre.

In 2023 the South Burnett Regional Council were awarded the Strategic and Master Planning award for the Kingaroy Memorial Park and WJ Land Memorial Olympic Swimming Pool masterplan.

The council was also awarded funding through the state government’s minor infrastructure program.

The council said the funding will be used for the construction of the multipurpose court and ninja warrior course.

Artwork for the multipurpose court which will form part of the Kingaroy youth precinct. Image: SBRC.

During the April ordinary council meeting, concerns were raised about the ninja warrior course going way over budget.

Councillor Ros Heit said the original estimate was $450,000 with $250,000 coming from the government grant and the rest coming from ratepayers.

“It’s now come back to council wanting another $400,000 to make it a project of $850,000,” Ms Heit said.

However, a council officer explained they had saved money from other approved projects which will be allocated to the ninja warrior course, which satisfied Ms Heit and the increase in cost was passed unanimously.

Kingaroy youth precinct plans. Image: SBRC.

Kingaroy youth precinct plans. Image: SBRC.

A flood management survey conducted by water engineering consultancy Blight Tanner stated that Memorial Park is already a “significant floodway” in Kingaroy but concluded the new development would not worsen the flooding when it does occur.

The consultancy firm suggested flood depth indicators to educate the community about historic flood events.

According to the plans, the site will include a ninja course, a full-size multipurpose court, a mouse house, an area for parkour, a new bridge over the creek, shaded seating, new and upgraded footpaths and ‘chill-out nodes’.

Councillor Danita Potter said the ninja warrior course will be “the only one like it in the South Burnett”.

She noted that concerns about youth crime have been voiced by members of the community, emphasising the pivotal role the precinct could play in offering positive avenues for local youth.

“We need to give them something to do, we need to give them something to take their energies,” Ms Potter said

“I truly believe that this is something important.”

No date has been announced for the construction of the new youth precinct.

Originally published as Kingaroy Memorial Park’s $33.5m Makeover: Ninja warrior course and court gets green light