Road map aims to turn momentum into lasting growth
Ms Billett said Nambour Groups was a collaboration of existing organisations rather than a formal body. “There is no formal structure for Nambour Groups, other than our organisations’ core roles are primarily focused on tourism and economic development.”
by Cameron Outridge
With more than $300 million in approved and emerging private investment reshaping Nambour, local business and community leaders have developed an 11-point road map to turn that momentum into lasting growth. The plan identifies priorities ranging from CBD activation and transport to safety and streetscape improvements, giving local groups a united case when seeking council and state government support.
Nambour Groups chair Rhonda Billett said the Nambour Economic Road Map was an 11-point working plan to increase visitation, build confidence, attract investment and coordinate projects that improve the town’s economic future.
The road map has been developed through the Nambour Groups banner, which brings together separate organisations with a shared focus on economic development, tourism and CBD activation.
Ms Billett said the aim was to give structure to work already being done by local groups, businesses and volunteers as Nambour enters a period of growing investment and community interest.
“We developed the Economic Road Map as a way of framing all of the things our organisations want to achieve together to drive Nambour forward from an economic and visitation point of view,” she said.
The road map was referred to in a Gazette story (July 1) about more than $300 million in approved and emerging private investment across Nambour. The story prompted community questions about what the document contains, who is involved and how residents can stay informed, get involved and have a say.
Ms Billett said Nambour Groups was a collaboration of existing organisations rather than a formal body. “There is no formal structure for Nambour Groups, other than our organisations’ core roles are primarily focused on tourism and economic development,” she said. “The individual groups have their own leaders or chairs, members and operational structures.”
The collaboration grew from earlier work by Reimagine Nambour and the I Am Nambour brand, created with support from the Federal Government, Sunshine Coast Council and Nicklin MP Marty Hunt to boost visitation, economic confidence and investment.
Ms Billett said representatives from the Nambour Tramway Company, Sunshine Coast Council, Visit Sunshine Coast and the Nambour Chamber of Commerce later joined the collaboration. The organisations have met every two to three months over the past five years.
“I feel like the Nambour CBD investment has happened very quickly over the last year,” she said. “But it has been five years of hard work in the background to be honest. All of the photoshoots and video shoots created over the last 5 years under the I Am Nambour brand, with the backing of Sunshine Coast Council’s Economic Development team, were strategically created, and in turn have contributed to the building of a solid economic vision and foundation to move the town forward. I wanted investors looking at Nambour and seeing what is possible – from our lush green spaces, to our thriving vintage and thrift shopping scene to professional services and quaint B&Bs peppered throughout the Gateway the Sunshine Coast Hinterland region.”
Priority Challenges
Nambour Groups’ one-page road map identifies seven priority challenges facing the town: infrastructure gaps; employment and skills shortages; social services and amenities; underutilised government assets; housing and accommodation shortages; environmental concerns; and CBD maintenance and visual enhancement.
Strategic Pillars
Its 11 Strategic Pillars are to activate and further energise the CBD, enhance streetscapes and public spaces, foster community pride and engagement, leverage major events for economic growth, improve safety and build confidence, grow the morning economy and night-time economy, attract investment and retail diversity, position Nambour as an arts and culture hub, collaborate with surrounding destinations, improve transport and accessibility, and strengthen Nambour’s competitive positioning.
Ms Billett said the road map was primarily an internal working document but had been presented to all levels of government so the town’s priorities were clearly understood and individual organisations could seek support where needed.
She said projects flowing from the plan included the Nambour Big Spring Clean, expansion of the Nambour Markets and Black Market into the CBD, improved communication by the Nambour Tramway Company through its website and social media and continued work by the Nambour Chamber of Commerce to support local businesses.
“I would encourage the community to follow along via print media, social media and our organisations’ websites. Keeping our community informed is one of our goals in the Economic Road Map document. We love taking the community on the journey with us. Together we always achieve more,” she said.
“I always remember former Mayor Mark Jamieson saying Nambour just needed one serious investor to kick things off in the CBD. And from a CBD perspective, it was Will Phillips and the team from Sandran who boldly took that Nambour CBD investment step, by spending 3.5 million dollars restoring and saving the Nambour Cinemas for the community. They then followed that commitment up, with their full C Square makeover, totalling $30 million for Nambour.”
Ms Billett said other investors had followed Sandran’s lead, setting up a once-in-a-generation investment opportunity time for Nambour. “What is happening here has not been seen in the region since the 1980s, it’s a big deal and I’m incredibly proud of what is coming our way. So many locals have wanted this for so long and now private investors are doing lots of the heavy lifting for the community and delivering.
“We have over 22,000 of us who call Nambour home, that figure will grow soon with more residential estates development on Savills Road, a $130 million investment of 230 dwellings, for an over 55s project/lifestyle precinct, teamed with a revitalised Nambour CBD.
“Also Developments like the bulk goods/homemaker showroom development behind Aldi, things like the Sugar Mill hospitality precinct, a new co-working space above the National Australia Bank, among so many others, are all under construction or coming soon to construction. And there is more coming. It’s a hive of activity in our part of the Sunshine Coast, with so much commercial movement over the last 12-18 months in particular.”
The road map’s vision is for Nambour to become a thriving, connected and inclusive hub of professional services and businesses that celebrates its heritage, embraces innovation and provides a vibrant lifestyle for residents, businesses and visitors.
By 2032, it aims for Nambour to stand as a leading regional hub for commerce, culture and community, offering sustainable growth, diverse economic opportunities, authenticity and a high quality of life.