The challenge for planners at council and state levels is to prepare for a new Gympie region, without losing the charm of what we have now.
Those planners are at work as we speak, mapping a future for tourism, agriculture, forestry and – vital for most of us – housing.
Public submissions close next Friday on the future of tourism, a major Queensland employer.
But as mayor Glen Hartwig says, so are agriculture and forestry. In Gympie region at least, they remain bigger employers than tourism.
State Government planning for those industries is also underway.
Huge projected population growth is something that will place a strain on water resources and lifestyle, as well as the environmental values of the region.
It is all becoming a pressure cooker for planners at all levels and already is for anyone looking for a home.
– Arthur Gorrie
