An under used and under appreciated beachfront has been transformed by Whitsunday Regional Council into a major attraction for locals and tourists in Bowen, Queensland. Completed in November 2009, the Bowen Foreshore Precinct development project won an Institute Public Works Engineering Australia – Queensland (IPWEAQ) award in 2010 for projects costing over $10 million.
It is now a thriving area and one of the highlights of the development was the strikingly designed Bowen Soundshell, which is used for concerts, festivals and even weddings.
The other major feature of the redevelopment is a spectacular skate park, which has been a raging success with Bowen’s youth. The skate park also works well for families due to its closeness to the foreshore with its nearby barbeques.
Program Manager Water and Sewerage James Stewart said the project involved several years of planning, scoping, and designing.It involved the transformation of the Bowen beach front, parkland and road reserve.
James Stewart said it was a highly challenging project, as one of the key aims was to protect existing areas of historical, cultural and environmental significance.
“The clearing of trees was minimal and new buildings were designed to fit in with existing flora and fauna,” he said. “All historical, cultural and environmental significance not only had to be retained, but improved and celebrated throughout the design.”
Indeed, several hundred mature trees, several thousand shrubs as well as ground cover were planted to achieve an overall aim of the same level of flora. It worked well as the local population of black cockatoos remained present during and after construction.
James Stewart said throughout the planning process, community workshops were held to refine specific aspects of the project.
“The various historical features of Bowen and the immediate location have been retained and highlighted,” he said.
The discovery of Bowen was commemorated along with the involvement of the foreshore as a base for the Catalina Warplanes during the Second World War.
Interpretive plaques, signs and landscaping features have been a huge success in drawing tourists and locals to visit the beach front.
Despite the current property developer downturn, the eventual aim to create private interest in the area is looking brighter.
For further information contact James Stewart on (07) 4945 0200.
