Petitions helped turn tide on Howard Street car park sale

An aerial view of the Howard Street carpark in Nambour.

Nambour Now member Sarah Vortman has emerged as a key figure in the community campaign that helped halt the proposed sale of the Howard Street car park, with two petitions attracting more than 2000 signatures in a matter of weeks.

Ms Vortman formally submitted her petitions to Sunshine Coast Council on April 14 – just one day before councillors moved to shelve plans to sell the site following widespread community opposition.

Her first petition, launched about three weeks earlier, called for proper consultation and a detailed assessment of the impacts of losing the centrally located car park. Within days, it had drawn close to 1000 signatures and contributed to council deferring its decision for eight weeks.

A second petition followed, this time calling on council to retain the car park as vital public infrastructure. That petition built further momentum, reinforcing the community’s position ahead of council’s decision to abandon the proposed sale.

Ms Vortman said the outcome reflected the strength of community action. “I’m really pleased to see this outcome. The level of community response was phenomenal and made it clear that the Howard Street car park is not just infrastructure, but an important part of how people access services, support local businesses, and stay connected in Nambour,” she said.

Her initial petition raised concerns about accessibility, business impacts and environmental considerations, noting the site’s role in enabling access for people with disability and supporting nearby traders.

The second petition, backed by the Nambour Now advocacy group, went further, urging council to rule the site out for development altogether and protect central parking in the CBD.

“This outcome reflects a huge amount of work behind the scenes, with community members, local groups and businesses coming together to share their perspectives and support one another,” Ms Vortman said. “It’s encouraging to see that when communities come together and advocate for what matters to them, it can lead to real change.”