Countdown to Priors Creek: Opening Events and Community Celebration Announced for 10–11 July
The countdown is officially on for the grand opening of Priors Creek Parklands in Atherton. We kick things off with the official opening followed by a family friendly weekend of events, music and food on Friday 10 and Saturday 11 July.
This multimillion-dollar project represents the largest precinct revitalisation in Atherton’s history. What began as a community-led vision and master plan in 2018 is now being realised as a premier destination for family fun, local community group activities, a year-round events calendar, and regional tourism.
While parts of the park and amenities will progressively open over the coming months, the opening event in July will be the official turning point for what’s to come. On opening, the parkland will feature an open-air amphitheatre and main stage, fitness and leisure spaces, a nature walk trail, public amenities and much more.
Future stages are set to deliver a regionally significant nature-based playground, a dedicated amphitheatre shell, and further interactive features designed to cement Priors Creek as a landmark destination.
Further details will be announced as we progress toward opening, including a vibrant and varied program of community events and interactive activities to take place in the park.
The park itself is only part of the much larger vision. When fully realised, Priors Creek Parklands will be the centrepiece lifestyle precinct in the region and a flagship destination for families and visitors.
What’s Next
With the main parklands mostly completed, the focus of works now turns to the park surrounds and enhanced parking and traffic flow for the precinct. This will understandably mean some temporary interruptions to traffic and parking arrangements.
Priors Creek will become a key location for public events and activities with the development of an urban plaza for markets and a 1000-person amphitheatre — while building on established biking activities (Tablelands Rail Trail and Atherton Forest Mountain Bike Park trail head). The area will include a nature-based playground and shared paths, and showcase Indigenous culture, public art and the environment. The development will also improve security, parking, access to Main Street and lighting. There will be commercial development opportunities with a focus on short-stay accommodation and units. The increase in accommodation will help meet the demand for housing in the region, support population attraction and retention, and provide high-quality tourism accommodation.
See the fly-through concept.
The project will be transformative and inclusive for our community — catering for youth, families, seniors and visitors. It also recognises 20 desired outcomes across all five priority areas of our Tablelands 2030+ Community Plan. The plan is a roadmap to guide our decision-making, services and priorities.
Check back soon. More events and activities to come!
Budget
Grants to date = $3.1M
Infrastructure charges applied = $3.6M
TRC funds to January 2026 = $3.8M
The sale of freehold lots will offset project costs.
Funding be sought for future park elements:
- Nature-based playground
- Pump track
- Learn-to-ride bike area
- Public art
- New walking bridge over the creek
Funding
Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government & Planning (DSDILGP) Funding — provided $900,000 for Stage 1 of the Priors Creek Development.
Cycle Network Local Government Grant — $1.5M of funding from the Department of Transport and Main Roads’ Cycle Network Local Government Grants program to deliver the shared pathways, signs, lighting, shade trees and bike racks across the development area.
The Priors Creek Parklands project is proudly supported by the Queensland Government’s Cycle Network Local Government Grants program.
Minor Infrastructure and Inclusive Facilities Fund — The Queensland Government provided $350,000 to construct two toilet blocks to enable Queenslanders to participate in sport and recreation activities.
In 2018 we worked with the community to develop a vision and master plan for the Priors Creek area of Atherton. The Priors Creek Master Plan outlined the development of the Priors Creek area (adjacent to Railway Lane in Atherton) to create a family-oriented mixed-use and leisure area, with commercial, residential and retail space.
Construction Timeline
November 2025 — Stage 1A is complete.
The mountain bike shelter and age-friendly exercise equipment have been relocated, and the multi-use court is complete except for the playing surface, which will be installed later in the project. The sail over the age-friendly exercise equipment will also be installed later in the project. The overhead powerlines have been removed and the street lighting installed. The toilet blocks, amphitheatre seating, stage, and picnic and barbecue shelters are complete. Work on the footpaths, landscaping, turf, irrigation and rail trail is continuing.