Mission Beach Cassowaries
  • ABOUT CASSOWARIES
    • Cassowary ID and tracking >
      • Sightings maps
    • World Cassowary Day 2015
  • NEWS
  • Information
    • Developments
    • Thorsborne Trail NOT FOR SALE >
      • MARGARET 'T' AO 1927-2018
    • Walking tracks
    • Birding
    • Lot 66/Garrett Corridor
    • Publications
    • Mission Beach Naturally >
      • Community Identity
    • Heritage
  • Photo Gallery
    • Fauna >
      • Cassowary
      • Birds
      • Mammals
      • Reptiles
    • Flora >
      • Flowers
      • Plants and trees
      • Fungi
    • Scenic
  • Contact
    • Privacy policy

Town Centre design 'in character' or 'on trend'?

23/9/2022

0 Comments

 
Community feedback
The Cassowary Coast Regional council is calling for community feedback on the draft final design for the Mission Beach town centre.  The concept drawings can be seen below.


The concept was presented at a meeting of the Mission Beach Town Centre Revitalisation Project Community and Stakeholder Reference Group (CSRG)  on Monday 12th September. A well attended public viewing of the plans was held  at the Village Green on Friday 16th.

The role of the  CSRG is for members to keep their networks informed and give feedback to the Council via C7even marketing group. The council says it "will consult the CSRG regularly to gain independent, honest and constructive feedback". 

The concept drawings are very difficult to put into perspective.  The scale of the drawings is unrealistic, showing an open plaza with hundreds of people.  
​
The landscape architect told the group he wanted to create something 'on trend'. The result is a design with jarring hard edges, straight lines and excessive use of concrete. 

It's hard to see how the drawings reflect  the low key character of Mission Beach; of villages set in rainforest by the sea. There doesn't appear to  be any consideration given to designing in a World Heritage setting. The process of consultation to this point is highly questionable with the Initial community feedback totally ignored in both the orginal and final concept designs. ​​


THIS IS YOUR TOWN CENTRE​
Please take the time to send your feedback to the Cassowary Coast Regional Council at;

missionbeach@ccrc.qld.gov.au

Below is the considered comments from Mission Beach Cassowaries (MBC) as a CSRG member.

​Porter Promenade
The concept includes an upgrade of Porter Promenade for a short distance north and south of Campbell Street and at the intersection of Campbell Street itself.  It's great to see this section of road redesigned to create more of a town centre by slowing traffic and introducing more vegetation including trees shown below.
​The drawings show hard edged regimented raised concrete plant boxes. The trees will be potted size not mature.
MBC Comments
  • In keeping with the World Heritage and natural character of Mission Beach, priority should be given to planting species endemic to the basalt soils of Mission Beach. 
  • Instead of hard edged, regimented  concrete boxes, the road could 'meander' through the village with 'garden' beds being placed in an informal manner to create a more 'natural' feel. People have often commented they would like to see the same treatment given to the road through the village as in Collins Avenue in Cairns.
Picture
Eating Pods
The restaurant 'eating pods' will be a mixture of laser cut metal shade structures and hard covers. A larger laser cut metal shade structure is planned for the centre of the existing 'green' as a performance area. These structures, even with vines growing over them would be hot to sit under and don't take into account Mission Beach's reputation as having one of the highest rainfalls in Australia. 

MBC comments:
  • It would be more practical given the rainfall and temperatures and more in keeping with the low key village character to make any restaurant extensions hard shelters. 
​​
Village Green
The unusual white concrete 'shapes' appearing through the village green represent sand dunes - in line with the theme 'Rainforest to the Reef'. The extension of eating areas, 'dune sculptures', mounding of the small lawn areas along with the extensive use of concrete including raised concrete seating areas, clutter and reduce usable public space. 
All vegetation is to be removed and replaced with immature (potted) trees.

The Village Green is a smal intimate space.  The drawings are grossly out of scale. What is shown is not only out of character with the low key village atmosphere, it is not achieveable. 

MBC comments:
  • 'Dune sculptures' should be removed and level lawn areas maximised.
  • Reduce the amount of concrete particularly avoid raised concrete walls for seating.
  • The Mission Beach sign should be exluded.
  • Existing trees should be transplanted or field grown mature trees planted. (If there is not enough funds in the project budget, the community should be given the choice of raising funds for this purpose).​
  • ​Creative locally designed chairs and tables strategically placed under the shade throughout the Village Green. (see examples below from Cairns Botanic garden). The community should be further consulted on furniture design.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Rainforest meets the reef - Ulyssess Park
​David Street Area
The village Green is to be extended to the end of David Street (Past the Shrubbery). Parking bays are to be removed with access provided for deliveries and residences along the esplanade. The concept includes a viewing/entertainment deck and beach retaining wall over the drain exit and along the beach. The infrastructure will require removal of  littoral vegetation.  
MBC comments:
  • No removal of native vegetation from the littoral zone
  • Remove viewing platform. Infrastructure should not be considered in the erosion zone.
  • Rehabilitation of the littoral  zone. Emphasising and presenting the transition between the rainforest and the reef should be an essential part of the plan. (See Ulysses Park character)
  • The same low key 'natural' design of shade trees, grass, meandering pathways in David Street would create a continuity of the existing 'Green'.
  • The culvert could be redesigned to incorporate some basalt boulders to disguise the beach drain outlet if it is considered ugly; or a small base for a set of seats and table under shade of existing vegetation could be considered. Meaningful community input should be sought on any of these 'character changing' aspects of the upgrade. 
  • The Foreshore Mangement Plan states;
  1. Vision; the council and community show leadership in the protection, restoration and sustainable use of the Greater Mission Beach foreshore and work together to preserve and manage the foreshore for its significant contribution to Mission Beach being renowned  as a unique World Heritage Area and one of the best ecotourism destinations in the world
  2. "The foreshore is cuturally significant and highly valued by the Djiru Traditional Owners"
  3. "The foreshore is high valued for underpinning the identity, landscape character, scenic amenity and tropical lifestyle of its residents".
  4. "The foreshore is valued for its function as a protective buffer against coastal hazards'"
  5. "...the sustainable use of our foreshore achieves a careful balance between the protection of our high heritage value and pristine beaches in a  natural state while allowing for appropriate  recreation'"
  6. " The foreshore is recognised as being essential for naturally occuring coastal and ecological porcesses'"
  7. "...best practice foreshore management and recognising that conserevation, social values and economic wellbeing are firmly interdependent'
  8. "The values and features are the foundation of a vibrant and sustainable tourism industry that protects and celebrates the unique natural values and toruism assets of Mission Beach".
  9. "Maintaining and enhancing the scenic amentiy and landscape characger values of the foreshore  is very important'
  10. The ongoing protection and stabilisation of the foreshore through best practice vegetation management  and not placing people, infrastructure or development at unacceptable risk from coastal hazards is vital to the ecological, economic and social wellbeing of our communities now and into the future".
Picture
Picture
Foreshore Management Plan Greater Mission Beach


Draft Final Concept Plan
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Mission Beach Cassowaries facebook page
    Follow the lives of individual cassowaries on facebook

    Picture
    Friends of Ninney Rise
    Ninney Rise
    - the inspiring
     conservation history of Mission Beach

    Lot 66
    a Mission Beach buyback success story
     


    Picture
    Russell Constable's blog is packed full of information about Ella Bay and region

    Archives

    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    January 2021
    December 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    January 2020
    October 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2017
    October 2016
    September 2016
    June 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    December 2014
    September 2014
    May 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    November 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011

    Categories

    All
    Ash
    Birds
    Boat Bay
    Bush Tucker
    Butterflies
    Cassowaries
    Cassowary Coast
    Cca
    Coquette Point
    Cowley Beach
    Crocodiles
    Cyclones
    Cyclone Yasi
    Development
    Flowers
    Flying Foxes
    Frogs
    Fungi
    Insects
    Johnstone River
    Little Terns Nesting
    Mahogany Glider
    Mangrove Dieback
    Marine
    Mission Beach
    Port Hinchinbrook
    Rainforest Fruit
    Sediment Runnoff
    Snakes
    Spiders
    Threats
    Tourism
    Tully Heads
    Turtles
    Wildwatch
    W P S Q Tully Branch


© All content on this website (except where otherwise stated) is copyright Mission Beach Cassowaries All Rights Reserved If copying or publishing  content or information from this site please credit and link to Mission Beach Cassowaries Inc. website Except where otherwise credited, all photos on this website are copyright and must have permission to reproduce