There are long-term plans to reinvigorate a major hinterland town and make it a great place to live, work and play.
The Nambour Centre Activation Project is focused on boosting the area during the next 10 to 15 years.
Nambour is already well-known for its authentic creative arts, heritage trails, entertainment, health, education and business services.
But it is hoped the historic town, once the economic heart of the region, will attract more events and business as it supports the needs and interests of its residents and surrounding communities.
Sunshine Coast Council Division 10 Councillor David Law said the NCAP was focused on revitalising the town.
“Our hinterland heart has so many great aspects, which we want the whole Sunshine Coast community to be aware of and appreciate,” he said.
Read Dot Whittington’s SCN flashback stories about the time all roads led to Nambour and Nambour’s rise to become the region’s driving force.
“Activation is the driving force of the NCAP and aims to stimulate and attract public and private investment into Nambour, as well as helping to make Nambour a great place to live, work and play.
“We already know how successful some of our key events can be in activating this community, like the Nambour Rodeo, Suitcase Rummage, Collectorama, Garden Expo, Car and Caravan Show plus more.
“What is happening locally now is so much more and I encourage our community to check out the Sunshine Coast Events page to find out what’s on.
“If you’re an event organiser, please also visit the site and submit your events so our community is aware and can attend.”
Located in the geographical centre of the Kabi Kabi First Nations Peoples traditional land, Nambour is a place of great significance.
The freshwater creeks and excellent soil saw the area used as a place of meeting and resting while the central location saw the population swell during important festivities or hunting and gathering drives.
“The Namba Place Revitalisation Project draws on previous community engagement and planning with community groups and council, outlining a vision for Nambour’s future,” Cr Law said.
“This project will provide a clear and detailed understanding of how the town centre will look and function, how much it will cost and provide a roadmap for when each stage of construction can occur.
“In the early stages of the NPRP project, council conducted a series of conversations with key community groups, a Think Tank workshop and reconsidered all of the plans and documents produced over the last 10 years on Nambour’s town centre.
“Further feedback and collaboration with the community will occur and I am encouraging our residents and local businesses to get involved at those points, so watch this space to have your say.”
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Peace Run Records event organiser and Nambour local Andrea Kirwin said she was excited to program more events and be part of growing Nambour’s entertainment scene.
“We have some great shows lined up in Nambour and consistent activation is what is going to make Nambour into a key destination for live music,” she said.
“We’ve watched the Nambour Forecourt Live events grow in attendance over the past year and our boutique music events on Queen Street and Black Box Theatre are also gaining traction as people realise there’s things happening in our town.
“I love supporting and promoting independent artists, programming fun community live music events, boutique festivals and hosting intimate live music experiences in Nambour – and there are more exciting shows coming.
“We want to see Nambour transform itself into a vibrant music and cultural centre.”
Council has also made it easier and more cost effective for theatres, bars, nightclubs or hotel traders to establish in the Nambour Special Entertainment Precinct, slashing development application fees by 50 per cent to incentivise new business start-ups.
“Council wants the Nambour Special Entertainment Precinct to become the best it can be and providing this type of incentive to encourage new entertainment-related investment in this area is one of the ways we are supporting this outcome,” Cr Law said.
“The Material Change of Use fee incentives will provide financial assistance for local businesses and community groups establishing in the precinct, which is only the second of its kind in Queensland, the first being in James Street, Fortitude Valley.
“It will provide venues with greater certainty about where and how they can operate including the relevant noise levels.
Infrastructure charges for development within targeted Nambour areas continue to be discounted by half to increase demand and create long-term employment in the area.
Cr Law said council’s infill development incentives, which reduce infrastructure charges, had been extended by three years to June, 2025 and covered targeted areas in Nambour and Caloundra.
“The total amount of all infill incentive approvals is limited a maximum of $10 million overall, so individual incentives will be granted on a first in, first served basis,” Cr Law said.
“I encourage potential applicants to contact council to understand the criteria and explore payment options.”
Meanwhile, Wilson Architects has recently been appointed as the principal consultant to lead the preliminary design and feasibility study for council-owned buildings in Nambour.
“This study will help to inform future council decisions in relation to the best use of council’s assets in the interests of the local community,” Cr Law said.
“Council recognises the importance of Nambour as one of the region’s key service centres and the work being undertaken by Wilson Architects will help to ensure our future utilisation of our key buildings in the town is in the best interests of the Nambour and Hinterland communities.”
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“Over 200 council staff will continue to work in Nambour as part of council’s broader regional Workplaces program.”
The estimated population for Nambour, Burnside and immediate surrounds is about 20,000.
For more information about the Nambour Centre Activation Project please visit council’s website.
If you would like to stay in the loop on how the project progresses, please register your contact details (name, address, email address and phone number if applicable) to placemaking@sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au.
