New recreation park for people to love like Castle Hill
Date published: 7 July 2017
A key election commitment of Mayor Jenny Hill, Townsville City Council will seek community feedback for the proposal that will see Mount Louisa opened to the public for recreational activities such as walking, cycling and hiking.
Councillor Hill said while the attraction of Castle Hill was undisputable, the rise in popularity of active outdoor lifestyles meant the iconic landmark was in danger of being loved to death.
“With our perfect year-round weather and beautiful natural surrounds, it’s no surprise Townsville locals love to get outdoors and get active.
“While Castle Hill is a location of choice, we need to strike a balance between protecting the natural values and beauty of the hill and providing opportunities for tourists, walkers and recreational users.
“Mount Louisa, with its elevation, natural environment and views offers a wonderful opportunity to create an alternative to Castle Hill and in the process, a potential new tourism destination for the city with open space for recreation, health and fitness and lookout points.
“Council’s vision for city wide growth comes with the need to cater to all areas of the city, and the potential to open Mt Louisa for public recreational space is a great outcome for residents and visitors to the surrounding suburbs.”
Feedback from key stakeholders including Mount Louisa residents, landholders and developers as well as potential users including fitness groups and clubs will be a key feature in development of the Mount Louisa Open Space Master Plan, with details on the consultation format to be released soon.
“The consultation period will be extremely important in providing residents with input into the development of the master plan and I urge everyone to get involved,” Cr Hill said.
“The Townsville City Council will also meet with resident and developer groups to seek their feedback during the engagement process.”
