Hervey Bay City Centre Public Spaces & Streetscapes

More trees and outdoor dining, pop-up events and prioritising pedestrians are among the key features in a vision to reshape the streetscape in the Hervey Bay City Centre.

Fraser Coast Regional Council today released the ‘Hervey Bay Public Realm and Placemaking Vision Document’, which builds on the 20-year master plan for the city centre.

Cr Jade Wellings said Fraser Coast residents were encouraged to have their say by viewing the document on Council’s Engagement Hub website and completing a short online survey.

“A revitalised Hervey Bay City Centre will have something for everyone, with more opportunities to enjoy our beautiful climate and connect with family and friends,” she said.

“The city centre revitalisation will enhance the quality of local life for generations. It will mean more diverse food, dining, social and shopping experiences while preserving and improving connections between local destinations.

“The new Hervey Bay Library and Council Administration Centre will bring hundreds of workers together in one location to provide centralised community services.

“The proposed public realm upgrades in conjunction with this new development will help transform the city centre into a vibrant and thriving place.”

Cr David Lee said the public realm vision document emphasised making walking the natural choice and ensuring the city centre was slower and safer for everyone.

“Raised zebra crossings have been proposed in the short term near the Main Street/Torquay Road roundabout with the ultimate long-term design solution to be traffic lights at this intersection to slow down cars and prioritise pedestrians,” he said.

“Proposals also centre around making Main Street pedestrian friendly and developing a well-lit, ramped pathway or an external lift near the Main Street/Esplanade roundabout to improve wheelchair access.

“The vision document also suggests having a set of traffic lights at the intersection of the mobility corridor and Old Maryborough Road working in tandem with the current lights at the intersection of Old Maryborough Road and Main Street.

“It’s all about making the city centre a destination rather than a thoroughfare.”

Cr David Lewis said underground powerlines would allow more street trees and other plantings to provide shade, cool the environment and reduce carbon emissions.

“The vision document proposes adding a lane and covering the section of the mobility corridor that will link the new library and administration centre with a new car park near the old library,” he said.

“This would provide all users better, safer, well-lit, all-weather access.

“Activating Freedom Park, new paving and landscape treatments, footpath dining, and pop-up events with food vans in the Torquay Road car park are all part of the vision to create a lively, inner-city hub with places to stop and sit, get a bite to eat and catch up with family and friends.

“These proposals go hand in hand with creating a new outdoor public plaza on the corner of Main Street and Torquay Road where there could be events, markets, live music, a pop-up cinema, and reading lounges.

“Hervey Bay has come of age and grown from the days of being a series of small, seaside villages.

“The new Library and Council administration centre will be a community hub providing a focal point that defines the new Hervey Bay City Centre, with the public realm upgrades helping to transform the area and attract both residents and visitors.”

Residents and businesses can fill in a survey and view a copy of the Hervey Bay Public Realm and Placemaking Vision Document at https://frasercoast.engagementhub.com.au/hbcc-streetscaping

The survey is open now and closes Sunday, 2 April 2023.

The feedback gathered about the vision document will be used to develop a detailed Hervey Bay Public Realm and Placemaking Strategy.

More details about the new Hervey Bay Library and Council Administration Centre (incorporating a Disaster Resilience Centre) is available at https://frasercoast.engagementhub.com.au/hervey-bay-library-administration-centre-inc-disaster-resilience-centre.