Four new picnic shelters among suite of ‘master plan’ works under way in Yelarbon

A suite of upgrades, including the installation of four new picnic shelters, is under way in Yelarbon as part of a ‘master plan’ by the Yelarbon Community Consultative Committee (YCCC).

Goondiwindi Regional Council has been working closely with the YCCC since August to develop a plan for the town’s beautification and development. The upgrades will include various projects across the town as well as the finishing touches to Council’s viewing area for the GrainCorp Silos at Yelarbon, which were recently crowned the ‘Best Rural Art in Australia’ at the Australian Street Art Awards.

Two of the new picnic shelters were installed today at the silo viewing area, with a third also planned for the site within the next few weeks. These three new shelters will complement several other projects coming soon to the silo viewing area, including new solar security lighting by the Yelarbon Men’s Shed, and a new audio sign that will share with visitors the story of the Yelarbon State School song, recorded with Josh Arnold in 2020.

The final picnic shelter will be installed at the Railway Park, on the town’s northern side.

Elsewhere in the town, new information boards about the town’s local history will be installed, along with some new sculptures and artwork in tribute to the Anzacs. A range of smaller beautification works across Yelarbon will complete the upgrades for this financial year, including the removal of old cement and flag poles at the Memorial Park.

Mayor of the Goondiwindi region the Honourable Cr Lawrence Springborg AM said improving the town’s visitor experience was one of the key objectives of the YCCC’S master plan, especially in the wake of the silos’ success.

“I’m extremely pleased to see that the YCCC’s master plan will ensure a more strategic approach for the town going forward,” Cr Springborg said. “I think the success of the silos in particular has really inspired the direction of some of these projects - you’ll see a more consistent theme running through the town’s signage, for example.

“It’s extremely rewarding to see how the YCCC’s projects are coming together to really capitalise on that success and work towards a shared vision, which is improved liveability for residents and more cause for visitors to stop and explore Yelarbon. We know that some visitors are already organising their trip to the town on the back of its dual win at the Street Art Awards earlier this month,” he said.

The YCCC finalised its chosen master plan projects for the 2020-21 financial year in October 2020 and allocated $28,000 towards those projects, with even more works identified for the future. The YCCC agreed on four key targets for their master plan: to support the town's tourism, to improve streetscaping and beautification, to improve footpaths and accessibility, and to improve signage and visitor way-finding.

The current upgrades will complement a range of recent Council works in Yelarbon, including the construction of a new footpath along Eena Street to connect the town to the popular lagoon in September 2020 (funded by the Australian Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure grant). Council has also undertaken a range of projects at the silo viewing area, including access improvements, new picnic tables and chairs, parking bollards, plants, and new signs that share information about the town and encourage visitors to explore other attractions in the Goondiwindi region.