An important milestone for the new Multi-Purpose Community Facility for Malanda and the Tablelands
Planning for Malanda’s new Multi-Purpose Community Facility is progressing well after months of concerted collaboration with local residents and the broader Tablelands region.
Following a community survey undertaken by Tablelands Regional Council, (TRC), late last year from November 2025 through to January 2026. The community was invited to provide their views and ideas for what a future ‘fit-for-purpose community facility’ for Malanda and the district might look like and how it might meet the current needs of the township and future needs for coming generations.
Around 360 responses were received from a broad cross-section of the community, from teens through to retirees. Respondents listed a clear desire for an events and exhibition space, as well as modern meeting rooms and a dedicated Place of Refuge in the event of emergencies.
A Working Group of local Malanda representatives recently met for four separate planning sessions with project specialist APEC Projects, to begin working through the volume of information and suggestions provided by the community, and to commence the process of determining the best site location and an initial floor plan.
The Group includes representatives from some of the largest and most interactive organisations and clubs in Malanda, such as the Malanda Show Society, Malanda Junior Rugby League Club, Malanda Chamber of Commerce, Choorechillum Aboriginal Corporation, and importantly, the two State schools which represent almost 1,000 young people and their families in the region, as well as many of the local school staff and their families.
Valuable input has also been provided by the Malanda Theatre Company, Malanda Girl Guides and Malanda RSL Sub-branch.
Following Council’s endorsement of the recommended location of the new Multipurpose Facility within the Malanda Showgrounds site at the May 2026 Ordinary Council Meeting, the planning process now moves to the final stages of concept design with the Working Group over the coming months
This positive next stage of the planning process will consider how we can reflect and pay tribute to Malanda’s unique history by acknowledging pioneering families and the incredibly rich First Nations story while looking to the future. Salvageable material from the old Patrick English Pavilion will also be considered as part of the building design process.
The wider Malanda community will be invited to provide feedback on the new facility design concepts before the project progresses to final detailed designs and funding is secured and committed, to make the project a reality.
APEC Project Pty Ltd has been appointed to manage the feasibility, investigation and planning stages of the Malanda Multi-purpose Facility project.
Learn more about Council’s Community Facility Strategy Here.