Cooran Action Collective (Elyse Patten, Francis Murray, John Tynan)

1:55 Mayor Wilkie: We have one deputation from the Coran Action Collective and the topic is Coran's economic viability and we have speakers Elise Patton, Francis Murray and John Tynan. We have 15 minutes allocated for you if you'd like to come to the lectern. Welcome.

2:16 Francis Murray: Thank you.

2:21 Unfortunately Elise couldn't be with us today. But John and I are here. Good morning Noosa Council and thank you for the opportunity to speak today.

2:33 My name is Francis Murray and I'm here representing the Coran Action Collective, an unincorporated association auspiced by the Pomona and District Community House and aligned with the Town Teams Chapter, a global movement focused on community led place making and strengthening local economies.

2:56 We are a group of local business owners and residents who have come together because we care deeply about the future of Coran. I'm joined today by John Tynan, owner of the Noosa Hinterland Brewing Co and one of the largest employers in our town. Together we represent people who are not only living in Coran but actively investing in it, employing locals and contributing to the life of the town. Thank you. To understand where Coran is today, it helps to understand where it has come from. In the early 1900s, Coran was a thriving hinterland town. In fact, it was larger than Cooroy. There were commercial buildings on both sides of the main street and businesses extended up Queen Street and into Prince Street. We had two pubs, three general stores, two bakeries, three churches, a hospital, a timber mill and much more. It was a working town, supported by strong local industry where people lived locally, worked locally and spent locally. But over time that has changed. With the decline of the cream industry and the closure of the timber operations, the town began to contract.

4:11 Through the mid to late 20th century, people began to move away. Businesses closed. Buildings burnt down and were not rebuilt. Zonings were changed. People moved out of the town. And Coran became, in many ways, overlooked. What we are seeing now is the beginning of something different. Not a return to what it was, but the early stages of what it could become. Today, Coran has a population of around 1,750 people. We have seen more young families move into the area, a stronger, more permanent residential base, and renewed interest in local business and community life. We have seen more young families move into the area, a stronger, more permanent residential base, and renewed interest in local business and community life. There is real energy returning to the town. That energy is being driven by the community itself. Local people are stepping up. They are opening businesses and they are taking risks. They are investing in spaces and they are creating places for people to gather. They believe in Coran and they want it to thrive. But there is a limit to what a small community can do on its own. Without the right infrastructure, planning and coordination, the momentum stalls. About 15 years ago, Council invested in upgrading part of Coran's main street.

5:26 But that upgrade only covered the central section, home to 5 of the 17 businesses in the town. The eastern and western ends of the commercial strip were not included. So what we have today is quite literally an unfinished town. In the centre, you can see the benefit of that investment. Beautiful retaining walls, sealed paths, gardens, shade trees, stormwater, structured parking and places for people to gather. These businesses within this section are more solid, with little turnover as the years go by. But at either end, the conditions are very different. In fact, a previous Council CEO described parts of Coran as having infrastructure more consistent with the 1920s. And when you visit, and you look just a little deeper beyond the central section, you can understand why. On the western end in particular, which is home to 8 local businesses, there are parts with no footpath. A section of the commercial road frontage is dirt. Yes, dirt. The rear laneway that serves as the main commercial delivery access for the town's businesses is also dirt.

6:42 There is no structured or clearly defined parking, and stormwater infrastructure is absent. There are no bins, beautiful shade trees, or structured gardens. There is no safe place to gather. There is no reason to stay. Since that initial frontage upgrade, some improvements in other parts of Coran have occurred. But they have occurred in pieces. It has been ad hoc, focused on maintaining rather than improving. What has been missing is a clear, coordinated, long-term strategy for the town as a whole. A strategy that exists across all departments of Council. Despite that, the town has not stood still. In fact, what we are seeing now is something quite important. We are seeing real demand emerging. Every commercial tenancy in Coran is full. A recent commercial building was sold and let into five tenancies in Coran. Those tenancies were all leased within one week. There is continual, strong interest from businesses wanting to operate in Coran, but with no available space. But those businesses are operating against the odds. When you have no footpath, a dirt road frontage, no structured or safe parking, it has very real impact on who can access those businesses, and we see this in a high turnover of failed attempts.

8:10 We see this in a high turnover of failed attempts. Families with young children are navigating an unsafe road, parking and footpath environment. Elderly or mobile residents face challenges moving comfortably and safely through the space. People are less likely to linger, to browse, or to spend time there. To the eye of a tourist, it is not even clear if you should walk down beyond the existing footpath. So even when there is demand, the environment makes it harder for those businesses to be supported by the very community around them. I cannot tell you how many terrifying near-misses I have seen with cars and small children. How many cars we have pulled out of the culvert due to non-structured parking. And how many thousands of tourists I have seen turn around and walk the other way without venturing down that far, since there is no footpath. We also see the lack of infrastructure and the tenacity of those businesses. The town's ability to retain the attention of tourists play out in different ways. Outdoor dining, for example, should be a natural fit for a hinterland town like Cooran. But for small operators it is often not viable. Not because people don't want it, but because the surrounding conditions don't support it.

9:27 Either from an infrastructure perspective, no footpath to dine on, or a financial one, due to the high cost of footpath dining permits. So, again, the issue is not lack of demand. It is that the current environment makes it difficult for that demand to translate into sustainable, thriving businesses. From a planning perspective, Cooran can sometimes appear underdeveloped. There are commercial sites that remain underutilised. But when you look more closely, the reasons are clear. To develop commercially in Cooran currently involves substantial frontage upgrades. Including the widening and sealing of roads and parking created. Limited stormwater infrastructure and kerbin channel, with upgrade costs falling on the landowner. Or large stormwater pits needed to be installed on-site. On-site septic requirements due to no unity water-sewerage connection. So all sewage has to be on-site. And a rear commercial road requiring upgrades, as it is also dirt. These are real constraints. They increase cost, complexity and risk. And they make developing difficult to justify.

10:42 Especially in a small, hinterland town that does not achieve the returns of Noosa. So what might appear to be a lack of growth, is often actually a lack of viable conditions to support growth. At the same time, there is growing opportunity. Council invests significantly in attracting visitors to the region, and that is working. We are also working to increase the number of visitors to the region. We are seeing increased visitation through Cooran due to the upgrade of Noosa Trail, particularly trail number 5. Hikers and mountain bikers are coming through the town in increasing numbers. We have a beautiful community garden that is a wonderland to experience. We also have very interesting heritage assets, like the Alfredsons joinery building, the town hall, the old CBA bank from 1906, an old bakery from the 20s with a very interesting past, and more. These could all tell a rich and engaging historical story, taking tourists through a journey of time, just with the right signage. But many visitors arrive, walk through, and leave. They are not staying long. They are not deeply engaging. And they are not contributing as much as they could to the local economy.

11:57 Not because the potential isn't there, but because the town is not yet set up to support that experience. So today, Cooran finds itself in a very specific position. It is no longer in decline. But it is not yet fully functioning as a thriving town. It is rebuilding, but without a clear plan. And that brings us to why we are here today. As a community, we are doing what we can. We are taking risks, investing, building, creating momentum. But there is a limit to what we can do on our own. We cannot build a thriving, sustainable town without partnership. What's needed now is a coordinated approach across council, not isolated responses. From our perspective, that includes planning, to help define what Cooran is becoming and what level of growth is appropriate. Infrastructure and capital works, to address the foundational gaps that are currently limiting access, safety, and development. Economic development. To support local businesses' visibility, job creation, and reduce the need for residents to leave the town for local services. Tourism and placemaking. To help Cooran better capture the visitors who are already passing through, as well as to create places for local residents to gather and support each other.

13:21 Community and sport and recreation. Particularly to support young people and strengthen local connection. We have noted there is a council budget for sport and rent precinct master planning around this allocated for 2028. And transport and connectivity. Including safer links to surrounding towns like Pomona, and alignment with broader cycling and trail networks. The Cooran-Pomona bike pathway has already been specifically identified as a key priority in the TMR Queensland Cycle Strategy. These are all interconnected. Without coordination, both internally and with community, progress will continue to happen in parts, rather than building toward a shared outcome. The Cooran Action Collective exists because the community is ready to be a part of this process. We bring local knowledge, strong networks, and a commitment to long-term outcomes. But we don't claim to have all the answers. That's why we want to work with council to develop them together. We understand the limits and demand on budget. We understand that change takes time. We understand that we need to play the long game, and work toward a shared vision for the town.

14:39 So our request is simple. That council works with us to, one, undertake an updated economic viability study of Cooran, and then, based on that, work towards a shared vision for the town. Based on this, two, develop a clear, long-term strategic plan for the town. One that exists across departments, and beyond changes in staffing and governance. Cooran has been a thriving town before. What we are seeing now is the beginning of its next chapter. There is energy. There is demand. There is a community willing to invest. But without alignment, that opportunity may be lost. We are asking council to work with us. To help Cooran truly thrive again. Thank you.

15:24 Mayor Wilkie: Thank you, Frances. Thank you. After, we're going to have a few questions from members of the gallery on another topic.