By Mitch Gaynor
I WAS delighted to be asked to speak to the Ashgrove-The Gap Men’s Shed members last week after they travelled by train to Beerwah for the afternoon.
They stopped in at the Beerwah Hotel for lunch, and I was able to talk not only about our community paper, but also about the ‘wave’ of changes happening now and in the very near future across Beerwah and the hinterland.
When you consider it all together, you realise not only the scope but also the pace of change for what has been, for many years, a relatively sleepy neck of the woods.
First, there’s the Beerburrum to Nambour rail duplication, which at its most practical, simply means more trains – passenger and freight.
Then there’s the real game-changer: the first stage of ‘The Wave’, which will connect Beerwah directly to the coast at Caloundra before extending up to Birtinya and Maroochydore.
That will mean a heap more services and far easier access to the coast and Brisbane.
The ribbon cutting on this project is seven years away and will be a literal gamechanger for residents old and new.
On the eastern side of the railway station, change is even more visible.
The town’s largest building, a five-storey social housing complex, is well underway, with a second, smaller development taking shape just down the street.
Is this a good thing? Has that side of the tracks been earmarked for social housing hotspot?
These projects have sparked some concern in the community. Why build on the eastern side, where there’s little existing infrastructure and a car is required for basic services?
What’s the big plan for a town already physically divided in two?
Part of the answer may lie in the proposed town planning scheme, which opens up the eastern side for significant development, particularly townhouses.
At first glance, that seems out of step with a traditional preference for big houses on big blocks.
But when a modest brick home sells for $1m, it’s clear there will be demand for smaller, more affordable entry-level housing.
Then there’s the question about infrastructure.
After the failed Coles proposal on Steve Irwin Way there’s almost no retail to speak of that doesn’t require a vehicle.
The biggest change, though, is set to come just east of the Golf Course. Beerwah East is slated for 7000 homes and up to (depending who you believe) 30,000 residents. Beerwah itself has a population of about 8,000.
While it’s still on the drawing board, it too will fundamentally reshape the hinterland.
What do you make of all this?
It’s a difficult balancing act: maintaining the lifestyle while dealing with the realities of a growing population and the pressures that brings. There’s still time to have your say on the planning scheme, but a lot is already unfolding before our eyes.
So thanks to the Men’s Shed for lunch and providing serious food for thought about how our towns are evolving.
