CANUNGRA is charting its future with a new draft town centre master plan designed to guide its growth as a tourism destination, service hub, and gateway to the Scenic Rim.
Community consultation on the plan will run through to March 31, giving residents and businesses the chance to help shape the town’s next chapter.
Endorsed at the last Ordinary Meeting of the Scenic Rim Regional Council, the Draft Canungra Town Centre Master Plan envisions a town that is vibrant, connected, and resilient and prioritises safe streets, lively public spaces, and development that respects Canungra’s heritage, natural environment, and rural charm.
Division 3 Councillor Stephen Moriarty said the town’s projected population growth – expected to reach 3000 by 2041 – places increasing pressure on infrastructure and services.
“Input from the Canungra Town Centre Master Plan Committee has ensured that community values and goals shaped both the vision and strategic priorities.”
Canungra’s rich history is at the heart of the plan. Nestled in the foothills of Lamington National Park, the town has longstanding ties to the First Nations peoples of the Scenic Rim.
European settlement brought agriculture and timber milling from the 1880s, with the Lahey family’s sawmill forming the backbone of the local economy.
Today, the town is a thriving tourism destination known for its heritage charm and surrounding rainforest.
Cr Moriarty highlighted key challenges facing the town, including traffic congestion on Christie St.
“Council has begun discussions with stakeholders on potential alternative routes, including a bypass, to reduce traffic volumes through the town centre,” he said.
The draft master plan is built around four design principles: Uplift Heritage aiming to protect historic buildings and share their stories, fun on Foot to create safe and inviting paths for walking and cycling, access for all to ensure roads and crossings work for everyone, while Scenic Community seeks to build welcoming spaces that reflect local identity and preserve Canungra’s rural soul.
“The plan supports Canungra’s sustainable growth, helping ensure it remains liveable – a place where
history and nature walk hand-in-hand, and community values shape its future,” Cr Moriarty said.
Feedback from the consultation period will help refine the final master plan with community members invited to particpate online at Let’s Talk Scenic Rim platform, through a survey available at Council service centres, or by email or post.
