Case Studies

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Maleny Community Precinct

Waubra Community Hub

Upper Coomera Community Hub

Churchill and District Hub

Maleny Community Precinct

The Sunshine Coast Regional Council has recently finalised the Master Plan for the Maleny Community Precinct. The project is expected to take 30 years to complete and will cost $73 million. The Master Plan includes provision for:

• the conservation of the heritage listed Pattemore House
• an 18-hole community golf course with a putting practice area and future shared club house / function centre
• three to four full size sports fields and a multi-purpose sports amenity building
• the protection of significant environmental areas
• a widespread network of pedestrian and cycle trail.
• an aquatic centre with 25-metre, hydrotherapy, learn to swim and toddler pools, a 250sqm gym and other amenities
• community facility land
• a large ecological style parkland incorporating rehabilitated wetlands, viewing areas, sculpture trail, children’s play area, picnic facilities and walking trails
• three residential area

There are seven different stakeholder groups with an interest in operating on the site and Council has offered to lease out portions of the site to those groups upon them presenting a viable business case to Council. Each group is responsible for the development and maintenance costs on their portion of the site.

Sections of the site being developed by Council will be funded through the sale of some of the site as residential lots. Further funding may be sought from State and Federal grants.
In terms of governance models, the Maleny Community Precinct is run by Council, but advised by an Advisory Committee made up of representatives from the seven stakeholder groups and two independent representatives. Given Council owns the land, the Committee’s role is advisory only.

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Waubra Community Hub

The Pyrenees Shire Council in Victoria has developed the Waubra Community Hub which is an integrated multi-purpose facility. The Hub was developed alongside the town’s recreation reserve so that it could provide supporting facilities to the clubs and groups who utilised the fields (cricket, rugby and netball) in addition to providing the community with a space where they could engage in a range of activities. Facilities incorporated into the Hub include change rooms, toilets, a community kitchen, bar, art area, storage sheds, two community spaces, a Pre-School and a playground.

The Hub was funded through a mixture of Federal, State and Local Government funding which was supplemented by corporate donations and fundraising activities of the community, groups and organisation intending to use the site.

The Pyrenees Shire Council also sold the existing town hall which was no longer fit for community use and used the money from the sale to apply for a further matched funding from the State Government.

There were also groups within the community who volunteered their time and resources in the development of the site. Voluntary contributions included the landscaping, playground equipment, netball courts, rainwater tanks and road works.

The Community Hub is governed by a committee made up of representatives from all the user groups.

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Upper Coomera Community Hub

The Gold Coast City Council is currently in the process of planning and developing the Upper Coomera Community Hub. The community hub will be an integrated facility that will include the library, multi-purpose community centre, aquatic facility, public plaza areas, walking and cycling tracks and passive recreational spaces.
The entire project is expected to cost approximately $20 million.

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Churchill and District Hub

The Latrobe City Council in Victoria has recently finalised the construction of the Churchill and District Hub. Key elements of the Hub include:

• The redevelopment of the old Town Hall building
• A Neighbourhood Centre
• A men’s shed
• A Child Care Centre
• Pre-School
• A public library
• Community internet access and information services
• Multipurpose community spaces
• A community kitchen
• A service centre for Government agencies
• Open community spaces

The Hub is a $4.75 million development; with Latrobe City Council contributing $1.96 million; the Victorian Government’s Department of Planning and Community Development $1.05 million, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development $500,000, and the Department of Human Services $310,000; the Australian Government $800,000; and Monash University $135,000.
 

The Community Hub governance model is two tiered. There is a Board of Management which provides overall strategic direction for the Hub. It is made up of five community members and the local councillor. The second tier is the Operational Committee which oversees the day to day operation and coordination of the Hub. This Committee is comprised of regular users and tenants of the site who work in partnership to take collective responsibility for Hub’s operation.

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