Community & Business
29 November, 2023
New recreational Amaroo plan set to feature ‘MCG’
MAREEBA could get its own “MCG” as part of a broader plan, that includes the newly master-planned Amaroo Park, to provide more recreational areas on the eastern side of the town.
The master plan for the park has now been signed off after much consultation with locals to strike the best balance to cater to different ages and types of activity.
An off-leash dog park, nature play area, water play area, and three spaces for families to picnic and play games, allowing different areas for younger kids and teens, are some of the features of the master plan.
It also provides for additional shading, learn to ride track, additional car parks, public toilets, seats and picnic tables, exercise equipment, a pathway network and new trees.
Now the plan has been completed, Mareeba Shire Council will seek government grant funding to deliver the project, according to Amaroo Park working group chair Cr Locky Bensted.
In 2022, council completed the new playground and carpark on the corner of Karobean Drive and Hastie Road which was the first step in the redesign of the entire location.
“The purpose of the Amaroo Park Masterplan is to provide a long-term vision for the park and to assist council with securing grants to implement the plan as no budget is currently allocated to further develop the parkland,” Cr Bensted said.
The master plan was developed following a survey of residents which revealed the top five desires for the facility – shade structures, toilet facilities, additional playgrounds, additional seating and drinking water access.
Following the survey, residents put their hand up to join a working group and met with council and representatives from a landscape architecture consultant firm to provide further feedback.
Mayor Angela Toppin said given the extent and scale of people now living on the eastern side of the town, council had opted to deem land, that was previously put side as road reserve, into a large recreational area.
The master plan for the park was the first stage of making this vison a reality.
“We are aiming to develop this park not just for those on the eastern side of the town – people from all over the shire will probably want to use it.
Future stages include a recreational area that includes the “MCG” and a “Youth Hang” area. The “MCG” is aimed at providing a large open space area for the community to play games such as cricket or football or host outdoor movies, and the “Youth Hang” will be more tailored to tweens.
But Mayor Toppin warns the facilities will only be delivered if the council can secure grant funding.
“But if you have a master plan in place, you have a much better chance to get funding because they (governments) like things that are shovel-ready, and at the moment, we do not have this project funded even in our long-term capital program,” she said.
“We can chip away on it from developers’ contributions but we do think it’s the sort of project that the government will want to support.”
Council will be hoping that the project might get some traction in funding as part of commitments from the State Government or Opposition in the run-up to the State election to be held in October 2024.
The community is invited to come along to an information session on 13 December at Amaroo Park between 8.30am to 10.30am to have a look at the master plan and action plan.
