Proserpine Area Master Plan - Help us unlock Proserpine's potential!

The idea to unlock Proserpine is great , the town needs really something to make a new life growing . My thought would be base on the public transport , we all know that the major part of tourist come to Airlie beach and Proserpine does not get much advantage on it , so my idea would be to create an attraction that can bring to people the option of going anywhere from shute harbour to Proserpine , what I mean it is new a transport ( provided with green energy ) like a train that people can take and be able to go on and go off at each little town . Nowaday tourist want to use less their car and they want to travel and enjoy the landscape but it also great for the comunity life , less car , less accident , more safe for children , you would be able to shop around without getting your car . A train would be perfect for public but also to freight goods and service . To conclude a train from Poserpine to shute harbour would bring more traffic foot for whole aera mean more potential for bussinesses it also bring a new attraction to the aera , just imagine sitting in the train and go off and on wherever you want while enjoyind a coffe or tea with the beautiful landscapes to admire . My project could looks very expensive and for some of you maybe ridiculous , but when I look what hapening around the world concerning transport or just to improve the life style , we are defently very late and I hope that what ever project will go on will bring a better futur for the new generation but also for the enviroment and to the economie . Thank you . Linda

We live in a very diverse region that has many income sources such as tourism, sugar, cattle, old age facilities, and some of the best schools in the state.

Mill tours has been mentioned and I think all agree, possibly even Loco rides around Proserpine for lunch perhaps? Party train anyone?

What we are missing is a decent option for overnight self-contained campers.

All up the coast most towns have a free 24-48 hour area designated for this style of tourist.
It's low cost to run & will support local shops as everyone needs to replenish their goods at regular intervals. It won't affect the existing caravan park any as this style of tourist would have previously just driven past as the current park is based on longer term stays.
There really are no losers to having something like this on the menu, everyone benefits and it puts Proserpine back on the Ozzy tourists radar as a good destination to visit.
Advertising material could be provided onsite or some arrangements for "leasing" advert space to help keep costs from rate payers. If tourists wanted to stay longer there could be paperwork provided onsite for their options to stay at Proserpine Caravan Park or closer to the beach.

As most would see, there really are no losers.
If the rumours are true that Wilmar has provided the ground in front of their Mill as a potential area the cost would be very minimal for the WRC. It may get a little noisy during the crush, but hey, it's provided at NO cost to the tourist. Almost every other setup in Queensland this is positioned right next to a main highway or main railway will be no different here.

Glass is already half full people let’s get it topped up !

Cheers
MickP

A beautification upgrade of the Main Street - footpaths that match the Council end of the street and some fresh gardens and sculptures depicting Proserpine's Sugar Cane heritage. At present Proserpine is looking tired and rundown. Utilise the existing Council owned (currently leased to trustees only) Showgrounds for cheap overnight RV/Caravan accommodation, with a view to enticing travellers to stay longer than one night by marketing some of the attractions around here (eg.Bredl's Wildlife Park, Crocodile Tours, Coffee Farm, Dingo Beach/Hydeaway Bay and Airlie activities) encouraging them to stay at the Proserpine Tourist Park for the extra time they are here, will bring much needed trade to the businesses in Proserpine and go a long way to creating some much needed employment. Accommodation at the Proserpine Dam would bring travellers from far & wide into the area for water sports, fishing and sightseeing. The long awaited waterpark constructed at the existing swimming pool would make the Tourist Park/Showgrounds much more attractive to a wider range of travellers and attract more people off the highway and into town.. One of the biggest benefits to the ratepayers is the fact these are the lowest cost options: The WRC or should I say the community, already own the Proserpine Showgrounds, the Proserpine Tourist Park and the Proserpine Swimming Pool, making these very cost effective ideas to take advantage of. The showgrounds could be blocked out for a few weeks per year to accommodate the annual Proserpine Show then be used for the rest of the year as a stopover. One would imagine it would be in the best public interest, to maximise the benefits of what we already OWN without having to go into unnecessary debt. It is a shame to see such a wonderful facility(showgrounds) wasted when it could be bringing so many positive things to Proserpine.

I suggest we look to the future and our aging population by encouraging developers, private or public, to build and run retirement centres. Where better than in Proserpine where some of the infrastructure already exists to help support this venture. Land, hospital, Bowling club etc.

The region as a whole is changing where persons are wanting to come, live, experience & play but there is no longevity to this dream with those very same persons having to sell up and move to a retirement village or other type of support in due course so they are not a burden on their children.

Why not us? Why not try to attract others, like we do tourists, who would like to have & retain quality of life in paradise?

It will create employment in a sector that is not affected by commodity prices and tourism trends. It will be sustainable in and of itself.

I believe that the main st could use some ideas from what the Burdekin Shire has done in Ayr. There are some very interesting features in their main street which may be able to be incorporated into our Main St.

Maybe get a cafe to set up at the Dam, be able to rent a kyak, canoes etc.

A more inviting entrance to Prossy from the Main St intersection at Bruce Highway.

Perhaps do a giant barramundi landmark...

My Ideas are as follows:
Revamp the footpathes of the main street from the Met down to the Railway line - make them the same as the council end of town so that they are the same.
Get rid of the gardens in the main street as they look terrible and the plants are NON APPEALING - instead put down imitation grass as is in Bowen in the roundabouts and in the try hard gardens in the main street.
Put a sculpture of a cane cutter and a barra or something to do with the Italian settlers in the two roundabouts or on the entry into town.
Have hanging baskets with COMMON FERNS along the footpath above the edge of the curbing - greenery always add a cool feeling.

Improved facilities at the dam including the camp grounds, the boat ramp and parking, and more activities to do. Something like the inflatable water park which was removed from Airlie, kayaks etc.
This is meant to be one of the best spots for freshwater fishing on the east coast, so extra marketing, signage, information on what is on offer. The stocking group could also do well to provide more information, or involve more in the stocking process. Invite school kids along to see the fish released into the dam.

The town centre could take inspiration from other similar towns. One example is Sarina which involves the mill as a tourist feature. Mill tours, Proserpine's version of the 'Sugar Shed' and history of the cane farming in the region.

The pool needs a complete overhaul. Facilities are generally tired, if not falling to pieces and it is still a paid pool, unlike at Collinsville for instance.

Re: other comments - Do not allow any swimming in the river! It would make Proserpine famous, but not for the right reasons.

Better facilities for grey nomads who will likely pass by. There are not enough caravan parks to cater for the masses as is seen in Airlie or Bowen. Whether the existing one could be expanded and improved, or incentives for a new caravan park to be brought to the town. Some form of rest area, which would need to be close to town or nobody will come to the centre. There are no driver reviver or rest stops near Proserpine. A park and ride may be an option if nowhere can be found near the town centre.

walk & bike path over Proserpine Bridge to allow the residents and locals who are currently battling it out with the traffic. Proserpine River would be a useful walking trek with Jungle bridge across and using the creek to swim in with a some picnic tables.
Cleaning up the Proserpine Bridge to enhance the entrance into Proserpine and the town signage moved to a safe stopping area. Large clear signage to enter the business centre.
80km Zone in front of the residential housing on the Bruce Highway into town from the north - currently it is a 100km with the 80km breaking in front of the Coffee Farm - change to 60km to limit accidents and confusion from vehicles coming off Shute Harbour Rd to Highway.
Tour bus to take visitors around to the different sporting events on the weekends.
Tour bus to show off our natural rural regions, e.g. cedar, the dam, Glen Isla,
Kelsey Creek and the museum.
a loco and carriage to take visitors from Proserpine down to Cutuli's siting. From there a bus pick with a few hours spent at the beach and visa versa and a few hours into Proserpine.
The Railway used as a day stop over for RV'S.
Main Street as a mall with cover over crossings.
During holiday season, 1 day a week showcasing how the town was built - cane, stockman, buskers, whip cracking, 1pm - 3pm in Main Street.
Water park at the swimming pool.
Outdoor movies at the Showgrounds once a month.
A promo video of the shopping in Proserpine and the outskirts (e.g. P&D Industrial to Hoof & Horn Produce & Saddlery) so people are aware that they don't have to go to a shopping mall to find treasurers.
Rural dirt roads, slashing footpaths by council.
Street cafe's.
Water park with Aussie Animals set out in the Rural Area that visitors have to pass thru Main St.
Sugar Shack at the Proserpine Mill with mill tours.
A Highway Sign to allow visitors to know what entertainment is on in the region!
Clean up entrance north and south coming in.

Mill tours during the crush would be great I would volunteer if it was required.

More camping spots at the dam and more access to the water for families to go skiing etc. Access from the shelter sheds to be addressed with SunWater.

We have a great river which should be better used for water activities like canoeing. Maybe clean some sand from the river and make a couple of small dams to allow more water to build up between the dam and town so families could enjoy water activities and fishing.

Advertise parking at the railway station for caravans with some tables for tourists to use for day stops.

A covered pedestrian crossing to make it stand out and make it safer in the wet.

Maybe make the Main Street one way from Metropole to Reject shop. We still need parking in the Main Street but some covered eating areas and benches would be nice.

A few ideas;

A sugar cane experience - mill tour and demonstration. This would be liked to a agricultural museum and info centre, restaurant selling good food but also local sugar, toffees/toffee apples and other interesting sugar based treats (like an old fashioned sweet shop) - of course all inside the "Big Sugar Cane".

Dam fishing experiences with a novelty "fishers heaven" caravan park/motel for those wanting to stop and catch some good fish. The caravan park/motel should have a aquaculture demonstration or education experience where people can learn about the aquaculture process and also about different fisheries, pests and how restoring native fish (barra) keeps pest fish down, how fish are introduced into dams etc.
Opportunity to get the fish cooked at the restaurant that night at the Big Sugar Cane.

The public pool should be better advertised as lots of travellers would call in for a quick dip. The pool could be improved into a mini water park (slides, rides etc). Of course all water efficient.

Shutting the main street to parking and making it a mall with parking on either side may make it more of a bustling place with opportunity for people to stop and walk through, space for busking/street vendors, info booth etc. That way you could not just drive in and out.

Of course an electric (green) mini train doing laps around town to pick people up from mill - pool - etc would be good.

While we are at it the coffee plantation could have the big coffee bean.

And we should look at other industries - carob, pulses etc and make them attractions.

We need to catch people before they drive past - big info booth. Lots of ideas to suit everyone and a hard sell (sweetened with sugar).