Accessibility boost: Boardwalk upgrades coming

Moreton Bay Regional Council will spend $516,000 restoring footbridges and boardwalks across the region after they were damaged by extreme rainfall last February and May.

Mayor Peter Flannery says it is important to get on with the work, while council waits for funding applications to be considered for two State Government initiatives - The Community and Recreational Assets Recovery and Resilience Program and also the Queensland Reconstruction Authority’s Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

“While we’re still waiting, we’ve awarded these construction contracts so work can get underway in February and March and ensure the footbridges and boardwalks are back in working order as soon as possible,” he explains.

“This is part of our commitment to making Moreton Bay one of the most accessible destinations in South East Queensland and critically important in 2023 - The Year of Accessible Tourism.

“We have beautiful neighbourhood boardwalks around our region, but the floods caused creeks to burst their banks and do serious damage to this popular public infrastructure.

“In some places, the damage is so bad we will have to completely remove sections of and reconstruct everything from the piers and joists up to the decking.

“We were hoping to have these projects commence sooner but have had to allow a four-week lead time for the construction materials to arrive.

“It’s critical we provide these pedestrian connections for our community to not only enjoy our natural habitat and creeks, but also provide accessible ways for locals to get outdoors and stay active.

“These restoration works will fix flood damage to boardwalks along the South Pine River, Wongam Creek, Four Mile Creek and Kedron Brook.”

Work will happen at these locations:

• Maureen Lawrence Park, Ferny Hills;

• Willow Glen Court Reserve, Bunya;

• Stanton Reserve, Eatons Hill;

• Kensington Way, Strathpine.

Year of Accessible Tourism

Moreton Bay Regional Council was the first to welcome the Premier’s announcement that 2023 would be the ‘Year of Accessible Tourism’, having spent recent years investing heavily in accessible infrastructure.

Mayor Peter Flannery says he is keen to get a share of the $12 million on offer from the State Government to grow accessible tourism product offerings and encourage existing operators to become more accessible.

|“Twenty per cent of people in Moreton Bay live with some form of disability and many parts of our region have a significant proportion of elderly residents, so providing accessible infrastructure for everyone is something very close to my heart,” he says.|

“I’m proud to say both Bribie Island and Redcliffe boast accessible beach matting to enable wheelchairs and mobility scooters to access our waters.

“I was thrilled when our All-Abilities Playground at Leslie Patrick Park in Arana Hills was named the top place to play in Queensland by Parks and Leisure Australia. We will also build an All-Abilities Playground at Centenary Lakes in Caboolture and we’re designing a new playground for Pine Rivers Park which will also include new adult changing facilities.

“Last year, we were one of the first councils to act on the State Government’s call for a zero-tolerance policy towards illegally parking in disability bays, and we doubled the fine from $266 to $533.

“This year, we’ve invested hundreds of thousands of dollars building Adult Changing Places and new bathrooms, as well as upgrading Council facilities to ensure they’re in line with modern accessibility standards.”