Bowen community has its say on the future Jetty

NQBP CEO Brendan Webb thanked the Bowen community for their positive engagement in the pre-design phase of the Bowen Wharf Project.

“During March, we heard from all parts of the community including local residents, business operators, community groups, school students, elected representatives and tourism operators,” Mr Webb said.

“We asked what the community valued about the jetty, how they like to use it, what improvements are needed, and ideas for the future.

“Eight key themes were consistently raised through our engagements; amenities, history, accessibility, education, ecology, fishing, recreation and commercial activities.

“We are also building our understanding of the cultural values of significance of the jetty through regular engagement with Juru Elders and representatives of the broader Juru community.​

“Emerging themes from our conversations include the protection and preservation of local marine life and their habitat and acknowledging the Juru people’s history and their connection to Sea Country.” ​

The project team is now reviewing all the feedback for consideration in the design development.

“We will prioritise what is important to locals and how the Bowen Jetty can meet the community needs for generations to come,” Mr Webb said.

“Two design options will be shared with the community in June for further feedback.

“We will come back to the Bowen community to get their input about the options to help refine the design and best meet local community needs.

“In the meantime, you can see the results of our community survey and engagements on our website and sign up for project updates.”

How locals have had their say so far:

• 601 responses to the community survey
• 90 individual interactions at the Whitsunday Multicultural Festival
• 33 people attended two Enquiry by Design workshops
• 38 students attended high school workshop
• 13 people attended the community pop-up session