Project update: January 26, 2024

Tender awarded for stage 1A of Northern Beaches Community Hub

One of council’s signature projects, the Northern Beaches Community Hub, will begin taking shape onsite.

Council has awarded a $10.2 million tender to Fergus Builders for stage 1A and associated works of the key piece of infrastructure to service the rapidly growing Northern Beaches.

It includes an undercover multi-purpose court, adjoining kitchen and store, nature play and picnic spaces, as well as landscaping, pedestrian links, and a parking area.

Mayor Greg Williamson said construction was expected to start in March and be completed late May 2025, weather permitting.

“A subsequent stage 1B includes a library and community hub and council is actively seeking State and Federal government funding opportunities for those future works,’’ Mayor Williamson said.

“A lot of work has gone into planning for this project, and it is exciting to see the vision coming to fruition,’’ he said.

Mayor Williamson said as well as design work completed to date, council had also undertaken extensive civil works on the greenfield site.

He said that included a new internal connector road between Rosewood Drive and Eimeo Road.

That road opened recently and was named Badyari Yalu Road (pronounced bud-jar-e yar-loo) by traditional owners.

It translates to “little child” in the Yuwi Aboriginal language and is to honour the many young lives lost at a Northern Beaches orphanage in the late 1800s.

Mayor Williamson said the stage 1A contract, awarded for $10,225,223 included additional civil works, such as landscaping to Badyari Yalu Road and drainage works to the east of the site.

Council has conducted extensive community consultation to inform the Northern Beaches Community Hub masterplan.

This has included the establishment of a Northern Beaches Community Reference Group made up of key stakeholders.

This project is funded by the Australian Government and Mackay Regional Council. The Australian Government has committed $6.5 million towards stage 1A, with council contributing the remainder of the cost of the works.

Click here to find more information on the exciting Northern Beaches Community Hub project.

Above: An artist’s impression of the undercover multi-purpose court to be built as part of stage 1A of the Northern Beaches Community Hub.