Diamantina Shire Economic Development Strategy 2018-2021 and Action Plan
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Diamantina Shire Economic Development Strategy 2018-2021 and Action Plan Diamantina Shire has the strategic infrastructure and services to realise our economic potential and support job creation while preserving our heritage, environmental and community values.
Acknowledgements Contents 2
Diamantina Shire Council acknowledges
the significant contribution of the A message from the Mayor 3
Central Queensland Regional Office of the
Queensland Government’s Department Diamantina Shire Economic Development Strategy 2018-2021 4
of State Development, Manufacturing,
Infrastructure and Planning (DSDMIP) in
The Diamantina Shire 5
preparation of this strategy.
Diamantina Shire demographic and economic infographic 6
Disclaimer
This strategy has been prepared using
quantitative and qualitative data from Strengths, challenges and opportunities 7
reliable sources. Diamantina Shire Council
does not guarantee or represent that the Theme 1: Agriculture 10
data and information is accurate, up to
date or complete. Any representation, Theme 2: Tourism 12
statement or advice in the strategy,
whether express or implied, is made in
Theme 3: Small business and not-for-profits 14
good faith. Diamantina Shire Council does
not accept liability for any losses, damages,
costs and other consequences resulting Theme 4: Economic infrastructure 15
from reliance on any data, information,
statement or advice within the strategy, Roads 16
whether expressed or implied.
Rail 17
Communications 17
Aerodromes 17
Energy infrastructure 18
Water infrastructure 18
Flood mapping 18
Theme 5: Liveability 19
Theme 6: Retaining population 20
Implementation, monitoring and evaluation 21
Action Plan 22
Appendix A – Demographic and economic data 26
Demographic data 26
Economic data 26
Workplace 27
APPENDIX B – Diamantina Shire’s [In]Sight competitiveness rankings with
29
indicators for each measure
Endnotes 31
2
A message from the Mayor
It is with the greatest pleasure that I associate myself with this the Diamantina Shire Economic
Development Strategy. This very important document was born from the community’s vision to
create a strong and sustainable outback community. We live in a very special part of Australia with
our natural wilderness and open spaces, from the harshness of the Simpson Desert to the vast grazing
areas of the channel country. It is we, the community, whose responsibility it is to nurture this great
area and encourage people to come, live, work and play within this great Shire.
The plan will guide our community’s collective effort on agreed priorities to take our region forward
to better times in the future. Community consultation during the development stage of the strategy
saw community members coming together to identify the strengths, challenges and opportunities
facing their community. Population decline was identified as one of the main challenges facing our
community and statistic show that this trend will continue without change and intervention driven
by our community. In the last 10 years alone there has been a 10% decline in the population of our
community. If this decline is not arrested it will begin to impact on service availability. It is important
that with everything we do and every decision we make, we create economic and social opportunities
to retain and attract people to our communities.
Council is working hard to deliver essential infrastructure to support the economic sustainability of
our communities. In the past few years Council has delivered Optic Fibre to Birdsville and Bedourie,
a sealed road to Bedourie and continued emphasis on sealing the road to Birdsville, upgrading of the
airports, maintained or improved community facilities and streetscapes in both towns, all with a view
to making the place a better place to live.
These are great achievement but there are many more challenges ahead, Council cannot fix this alone
and we need the support of the community. We need to create a new economic future and this
strategy helps us to take the first steps on a different path leading to a more prosperous and dynamic
Diamantina Shire, in which our youth have new job opportunities, families have choice in housing and
education, our businesses are thriving and our agriculture and tourism sectors are flourishing.
I encourage you all to be part of this journey to make Diamantina a strong and vibrant place going
forward and to create a better future for ourselves. Our community will need to be open to ideas and
opportunities, be prepared to work together, and have confidence in each other and the resilience of
our community. We should not underestimate the size of the challenge, however these are the first
steps to a brighter future.
Mayor Cr Geoff Morton
3
Diamantina Shire Economic
Development Strategy 2018-2021
The Diamantina Shire Economic The strategy has been informed by a number of existing plans and
reports which have influence on or implications in relation to the
Development Strategy (DSEDS) responds DSEDS. They include:
to the Diamantina Shire’s aspiration for a • DSC Corporate Plan 2014–2019 and Operational Plan 2017–2018
sustainable economy which supports job • The Outback Queensland Destination Tourism Plan 2017–20202
creation and population growth. • RAPAD Strategic Plan 2018–20203
• The Pathfinder Project 20174 undertaken for RAPAD by the Regional
The Diamantina Shire is challenged by limited economic diversity and Australia Institute (RAI)
low economic growth which is exacerbated by the shire’s remoteness.
• Pathways to the future: Building local strategies for regional
It is important to note the resilience and passion of the shire’s most
resilience and sustainable development in Central Western
important asset – its people. The DSEDS has been developed to assist
Queensland5
the Diamantina community and the Diamantina Shire Council (DSC) to
grow the shire’s economy in a planned and strategic manner. DSEDS • Smart Central Western Queensland: A digitally enabled community
provides a robust discussion of the future opportunities and challenges strategic plan6
and identifies short to medium term actions to be undertaken to
• Outback Regional Roads and Transport Group
achieve the Diamantina community’s economic vision for its future.
In the DSEDS, statistics from a range of sources have been used
The futurist Sohail Inayatullah says that a different future to the
including from the Australia Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Due to the small
expected requires people to challenge the expected, change behaviours
population size of Diamantina Shire there is a greater risk that these
and develop an underlying narrative which supports the desired vision
statistics will have large fluctuations between time periods and higher
for the alternate future1. In other words, the people of Diamantina Shire
error rates than for larger populations. Further, due to confidentiality
will need to challenge the region’s predicted future and develop the
rules, there are a number of statistics which are not available or
narrative which reflects the future they want.
reported as zero. This can lead to tables where figures do not appear to
sum to totals.
4
The Diamantina Shire
Located in the far west of Queensland, Birdsville was established in 1881 and originally named Diamantina
Crossing. The name Birdsville possibly resulted because of the large
Diamantina Shire covers an area of flocks of birds which congregated around waterholes in the Diamantina
River. Four heritage listed sites are associated with Birdsville and include
94,823 square kilometres or about one the former Australian Inland Mission Hospital, Birdsville Courthouse
and a half times the size of Tasmania. and the Royal and Birdsville Hotels9. Birdsville has the largest resident
population in Diamantina Shire with approximately 140 people10.
The shire is the second largest local government by area in Queensland.
Bedourie is located on the Eyre Creek, 191 kilometres to the north of
The Shire shares local government boundaries with Boulia, Winton and
Birdsville. In the 1880’s, the town was a major watering and rest stop
Barcoo in Queensland; MacDonnell and Central Desert in the Northern
for cattle moving from the north to the customs collection point at
Territory and the Outback Communities Authority in South Australia.
Birdsville. Bedourie is the administrative centre for the shire, although
Poeppel Corner, on the south west boundary, marks the intersection of
Birdsville held this role until 1953.
the Queensland, South Australian and Northern Territory borders.
Once a Cobb and Co change station, Betoota hosts the annual Horse and
The eastern edge of the Simpson Desert extends along the western
Motorbike Gymkhana and the Betoota Races, which is one event in the
boundary of the shire. It contains the world’s longest parallel sand
Simpson Desert Racing Carnival. The Betoota Hotel is the last remaining
dunes7, including the largest ‘Big Red’, 35 kilometres from Birdsville.
building in the town which has not had any permanent residents since
For thousands of years, the Channel Country of south west Queensland 2004. The hotel is undergoing renovations and is anticipated to open in
has been part of a complex Aboriginal trading system. Hundreds of time for the Betoota Races at the end of August 2018.
people gathered at places like Wirrarri (Birdsville) to trade for weapons,
DSC is a member of Remote Area Planning and Development (RAPAD)
grinding stones, ochre and pituri. Prior to white settlement, three
which is the peak regional economic development body for Central
traditional owner groups inhabited the land within the shire. Birdsville
West Queensland. The RAPAD Board is comprised of the mayors of
is Wangkangurru and Yarluyandi country. The Wangkamadla people
the seven local governments and acts as a regional organisation of
inhabited areas of the Simpson Desert including an area of the shire to
councils. RAPAD undertakes regional projects and actions on behalf of
the north west of Bedourie. The Karanja people of the Channel Country,
its member councils.
are estimated to have had tribal lands extending over approximately
6,200 square kilometers including Bedourie8. The Mithika people occupied
lands in the south east of the shire including the area around Betoota.
In 1861, Robert O’Hara Burke and William John Wills passed through
Birdsville during their expedition from Melbourne to chart a course to
the Gulf of Carpentaria. Seeds from a Waddi tree found in the diary of
Wills verify their passage through the Birdsville region and a Coolibah
tree on the banks of the Diamantina River bears the marking B-LXXVI
placed there by Burke to mark the expedition’s campsite. Waddi or
Acacia peuce are rare, slow growing desert trees found in only three
locations in Australia. The hard timber was prized by Aborigines for
weapons and digging sticks.
The Birdsville Track was opened in the 1860s to walk cattle from
northern Queensland and the Northern Territory to the railhead at Port
Augusta which was later moved to Marree. The track was also used by
cameleers to transport supplies to Central Australia and contributed
to Sydney Kidman’s success in the cattle industry. The track which is
517 kilometres long and traverses three deserts along the route; the
Strzelecki Desert, Sturt Stony Desert and Tirari Desert. Today, the graded
dirt road attracts tourists and is also used for livestock transport.
The shire was named after the Diamantina River which in turn was
named in 1866 after Lady Diamantina Roma, wife of the first governor
of Queensland. Diamantina Shire’s population centres are Birdsville and
Bedourie, with Betoota whilst lacking a permanent population, having
significance from historical and tourism perspectives.
5
Diamantina Shire demographic and
economic infographic
Diamantina Shire population Median age 39.8% had a different address
291 PEOPLE 30 YEARS 5 YEARS AGO
1 2 3
ATSI population 43 PEOPLE Population projection to 2036
a decrease of 37% since 2001 4 264 PEOPLE
5
Largest employing industries 7
Land sales in 12 months to 31/03/18 31.7% 24.4% 10.4%
Agriculture, Forestry Public Admin Accommodation
5 6
and Fishing and Safety # and Food Services
# Information provided by DSC indicates 74 employees in Public Administration and Safety in Diamantina Shire. The under-representation in Census data is likely a
result of DSC employees indicating their occupation is in Construction or Administrative and Support Services rather than Public Administration and Safety.
1
ABS 2017, 2016 Census of population and housing, Diamantina Shire general community profile, 2016, cat. no. 2001.0, Australian Government, Canberra, Table G07.
2
ABS 2017, 2016 Census of population and housing, Diamantina Shire general community profile, 2016, cat. no. 2001.0, Australian Government, Canberra, Table G02.
3
ABS 2017, 2016 Census of population and housing, Diamantina Shire general community profile, 2016, cat. no. 2001.0, Australian Government, Canberra, Table G42.
4
Above n 12.
5
Queensland Government Statistician’s Office, 2018, Data Tables: Projected Population, by local government area, Queensland, 2011 to 2036, Queensland Treasury,
Brisbane, viewed 30 August 2018, .
6
Queensland Government Statistician’s Office 2018, Diamantina Shire regional profile: new house and vacant land sales, Queensland Government, Brisbane, viewed
30 August 2018, .
7
ABS 2017, 2016 Census of population and housing, Diamantina Shire time series profile, 2016, cat. no. 2003.0, Australian Government, Canberra, Table T34.
6
Strengths, challenges and
opportunities
In March 2018, the Diamantina Shire community was given the opportunity to contribute to
development of the DSEDS during workshops held in Birdsville and Bedourie which considered
the economic challenges, strengths and opportunities of the region.
Strengths
Location Our geographic location
Rich with opportunity
History of region
Isolation
Gateway to the desert
Natural environment Resources in the ground
Desert and natural beauty – environment, vastness and quietness
Water – we have water unique to desert landscape surroundings
Employment Employment, qualifications and training
– opportunities to be a jack of all trades, diversified experiences
Agriculture Region which is in a very dry part of Australia, produces some of the best beef in the world
Tourism Birdsville brand and reputation which is recognised world wide
Birdsville is a unique destination for sustainable adventure tourism
Photography and bird watching
Events – bronco branding, races, Big Red Bash
Aboriginal culture
Business and industry Birdsville Hotel
Transport Sealed road from Boulia to Bedourie
Airport position
Air services - accessibility
Government Govt services – health clinic, police, safety, school, education
Diamantina Shire Council
Health and aged care Health provision
Health clinic
Community and facilities Community spirit
Lifestyle – community care, safety, health provision
No crime
Small population – pulls together
Characters
Iconic - reputation
Facilities – sporting, cultural
Racial harmony – safe community – good work ethic
Unity
Community spirit
7 Continued next page
Strengths, challenges and opportunities - Continued
Challenges
Location Cost of living
Distance
Remoteness
Bedourie doesn’t have a unique postcode or post office
Remoteness – health, education, transport costs
Cost of living
Isolation
Population With small population people are cautious about taking opportunities which result in them ‘standing on
other people’s toes’
Retaining people in the area
Encouraging community to come to events or be involved in volunteering.
Employment Bring people out who want to work
Availability of experienced workforce
Seasonal nature of employment
Government Mendicant shire
Business and industry Lack of business finance and general banking facilities (only a CBA agency in Birdsville)
Seasonal nature of business esp. tourism
Transport and freight Road access
Affordability of materials
Freight and transport costs
Sealed road access – not needing a 4WD will make a difference
Need sealed roads
Sealed road out of Birdsville
Making the road accessible makes way for the undesirables
Water Harvesting water from Diamantina River
Polluting billabong water
Energy Electricity costs
Telecommunications Mobile blackspots including between Birdsville and Bedourie
Housing Rental costs
Lack of housing
Community and facilities Lack of childcare services
Public transport
Caravan park changes
Education Secondary education
Six-month trade
Health and aged care Lack of specialist services
8 Continued next page
Strengths, challenges and opportunities - Continued
Opportunities
Natural environment Land
Resources
Wild Rivers - unique
Environmental levy applied to tourists
Agriculture Water and agriculture
Agriculture and tourism
New tourism products Aboriginal culture
Walking tracks
Conferences and workshops for external visitors (not relying on local community). We have the infrastructure/
accommodation.
Need to create more with adventure tourism – region natural beauty
Heritage Media advertising
Develop/maintain heritage listed sites – Court House and old hotel
Tourism marketing Promoting Aboriginal culture
Extend tourism season
Business and industry Micro business development (RAPAD)
Home/online businesses
Manufacturing
Chamber of Commerce
Government/business incentives
New industries Recycling – glass, cans, cardboard (from local pub)
Renewables – solar, geothermal, wind
Rocket launch site
Manufacturing i.e. open cement works based on cement building blocks
Transport and freight Empty trucks
Expand airline flight paths – Adelaide, Melbourne and Townsville
Inland rail
Extension of railway from
- Quilpie to Birdsville
- Maree to Birdsville
- Dajarra to Birdsville
Sealed road access to Birdsville
Water infrastructure Construction of a weir
Education Bring in a secondary school teacher to teach in small classroom on school grounds
Schooling to Year 10
Skills and training
Transition to trainee and apprenticeship
Health and aged care Aged care
25% of money from Qld Health must be distributed directly to local clinics to improve health of local residents
Community and facilities After school care
More housing
Whilst all matters raised during the consultation have been considered, not all have been brought forward into the Action Plan attached to this
DSEDS. There is a finite capacity to the ability for a community of 291 people to commit effort, resources and time to initiatives which could be
included. It is very important that the Action Plan contains realistic and achievable actions. The community was consulted on the draft DSEDS and
Action Plan in November 2018, prior to finalisation of the strategy.
9
Theme 1: Agriculture
Located in Queensland’s Channel Country, bordering South Australia and the
Northern Territory, the region is renowned for producing prime quality beef. The
Diamantina Shire is home to 11 beef producing pastoral properties with almost all of 11
its agricultural land used for grazing of native vegetation . 12
Diamantina Shire has been drought declared since 2013 and previously experienced an extended period of drought between 2002 and 200913. The
climate has become warmer over the last 100 years and is projected to continue to become warmer, with more days over 35°C 14. In the wet season,
between extensive periods of drought, the Diamantina and Georgina Rivers and Eyre Creek form braided channels running southward towards Lake
Eyre. The flood plains produce highly productive pastures of blue bush and native sorghum. There is very limited opportunities for crop production
as the soils within Diamantina Shire have variable to strong soil sodicity. Sodicity is a term given to the amount of sodium salts held in the soil. This
can lead to hardness in the soil (clay) and therefore can indirectly affect plant growth15.
Table 1: Diamantina cattle producers
Arrabury Pastoral Company Mount Lenard Station, Betoota
(operated with Arrabury Station, Barcoo as one enterprise, organic)
Cluny Station (organic)
Brook Pastoral Company Adria Downs, Birdsville (organic)
Kamaran Downs, Bedourie (organic)
Geoff Morton Roseberth Station
Gibson Grazing Sandringham (organic)
S. Kidman & Co - Gina Rinehart Glengyle Station
Durrie Station
Northern Australian Pastoral Company Monkira Station
Coorabulka Station
Paraway Pastoral Company Davenport Downs (includes Springvale Station)
– largest cattle station in Queensland
10 Continued next pageTheme 1: Agriculture - Continued
The Channel Country, is renowned for some of the best contaminant increased debt with no increase in profit. The report also indicated that
free natural beef fattening country in Australia. The region’s climate profitability of the top performers has declined over the longer term,
and isolation combine to create a substantial area of grazing country suggesting that industry profitability is decreasing. Finally, the report
which has a low incidence of pests and therefore no requirement for noted the top 25 per cent of performers (across all regions, herd sizes
use of pesticides16. This has led to five of the shire’s 11 cattle stations and markets) consistently outperform the average and have businesses
obtaining organic beef certification. more likely to be economically sustainable over the long term,
indicating that there are successful business models for producing beef
In 2016, organic beef was the top organic commodity exported from in
in northern Australia.
Australia at approximately 20 per cent of the total. In the same year,
43 per cent of all Australian shoppers purchased organic red meat, The region’s graziers have very limited access to extension
an increase of 10 per cent over the previous six years17. Although the opportunities, no doubt in part due to the region’s remoteness.
market price of organic beef provides a higher return to growers than Profitability workshops which have been held in the past were
non-organic beef, the cost of maintaining organic certification and reportedly not as effective as they could have been due to an
operational limitations can significantly reduce overall returns. Organic orientation towards property owners. Many of Diamantina Shire’s
operations are not able to use 1080 baits potentially resulting in properties are owned by corporations, and the managers who attend
higher calf losses due to dog predation. Organic operations cannot use local workshops do not necessarily have access to financial information
hormone growth promotants. Finally, certification is a one to three year to fully participate.
process with only new calves able to be certified organic so returns
Over time, pastoral holdings have declined in number as large
may not be available for up to five years.
corporations purchase properties which come on to the market and
Cattle are transported out of the shire by road to saleyards or directly merge them with existing operations. Example of this are evident
to abattoirs. Travel times from Diamantina Shire result in higher freight through purchases made by Arrabury Pastoral and Paraway Pastoral
costs and can limit market access. In prolonged wet seasons, roads can (see Table 1). The merging of properties provides the large corporations
be closed for lengthy periods and subsequent road damage results in with opportunities to increase efficiencies and conduct a leaner
beef transport load restrictions. In a hypothetical exercise undertaken operation requiring less staff.
by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
Producers have commented on the difficulties attracting and retaining
(CSIRO) using the TraNSIT transport logistics tool it has developed,
staff for their operations. Recent announcements by the Department
CSIRO calculated the cost of transporting cattle by rail (involves some
of Home Affairs about changes to arrangements for visa holders may
road transportation at the beginning or the end of the journey) and
assist to attract overseas workers who provide a valuable workforce.
then converted the rail component to road only18. The result was a
From 5 November 2018, sub-class 462 (Work and Holiday) visa holders
70 per cent cost saving for road transport only. However anecdotal
can work in agriculture to qualify for a second year of stay in Australia.
evidence suggests transporting cattle by rail results in less bruising and
From the same date, 462 and 417 (Working Holiday) visa holders can
higher returns. The significant investment required to construct a rail
stay with the same employer for up to twelve months. At the time of
line from Quilpie into the region is likely to preclude this option. This is
writing, the Department of Home Affairs had not announced whether
further discussed on page 17.
the new arrangements would be applied to Birdsville. Currently,
Generally, the distance from properties in Diamantina to abattoirs Bedourie is an approved Northern Australia location with agricultural
precludes a Meat Standards Australia (MLA) grading of the meat due and tourism roles able to be filled by visa holders who can apply for a
to the requirement that total time from dispatch to processing cannot second and a third year of stay.
extend beyond 48 hours19. The grading system is a voluntary industry
The National Farmers’ Federation has pointed to increasing consumer
standard to help customers identify high quality beef, however of the
expectations about supply chain transparency, increasing pressures
nine million cattle slaughtered per annum in Australia, just over one
on labour and services for farm businesses and their families and the
million are MLA graded.
continuing rise of disruptive technologies which have potential to
In its 2013 Northern Beef Report20, MLA indicated that whilst profits unlock new productivity growth and improve quality of life, providing
before financing are largely unchanged (on average over the 12 year digital infrastructure issues are overcome21.
period analysed), after financing, performance is deteriorating due to
ACTION 1.1 U
ndertake consultation with the shire’s graziers to determine the issues and support the sector would like assistance to address and
the appropriate delivery mechanisms.
11Theme 2: Tourism
The Diamantina Shire contains one of Tourism statistical data specific to Diamantina Shire is very limited.
Diamantina Shire forms part of the Outback Queensland tourism
the world’s most fragile and unique region which encompasses 17 other local government areas. For the
year ending March 2018, domestic overnight visitation to Outback
desert ecosystems, rare flora and fauna, Queensland increased 2.1 per cent to 900,000 people compared with
national parks and channel country the previous three-year trend22. Expenditure during the same period
was $617.3 million, an increase of 11.1 per cent over the previous three-
and significant history. National Parks year trend23 24. The majority (98%) of Outback Queensland visitation is
comprise 25 per cent of the shire’s domestic visitors. There were an estimated 36,000 domestic overnight
visitors to Diamantina Shire in 2017. Over this period, those visitors
area and include the Simpson Desert, stayed on average about 73,000 nights per year25.
Diamantina National Park and Astrebla DSC is using traffic counters on roads into Birdsville to measure
vehicular traffic in order to better quantify tourist numbers and the
National Park. direction from which they come. This data is used in DSC’s reporting
and decision making.
12 Continued next pageTheme 2: Tourism - Continued
Self-drive tourism contributes to Diamantina Shire’s economy and The Simpson Desert Conservation Park which contains the world’s
provides a major economic boost during the annual peak tourism largest area of parallel sand dunes, is closed annually from 1 December
season of April to October. Events are the other important component to 15 March to ensure public safety as temperatures can exceed 50
of the shire’s tourism offer. The ‘Birdsville’ brand is iconic and is degrees26. An opportunity has been identified to investigate developing
internationally recognised, in part due to the Birdsville Races which a motor bike event in late February or early March before the Simpson
have been held since 1882. The event is part of the Simpson Desert Desert opens to tourists. With no traffic over the dunes during the
Racing Carnival which incorporates events at Birdsville, Bedourie, summer and winds moving the sand about, the dunes are steeper
and Betoota. In 2018, an estimated 6000 people attended the at this time of year and are too difficult for 4WD vehicles to access,
Birdsville Races. however motor bikes can cope with the gradients.
The largest of Diamantina Shire’s events is the Big Red Bash which Tourism accommodation in the shire was increased in 2017 with
incorporates Australia’s most remote major music festival. The Big construction of the Birdsville Lodge which provided an additional
Red Bash is hosted at the Big Red Dune, some 35km west of Birdsville 49 ensuited cabins and upgrades to the Birdsville Caravan Park. Both
on the eastern edge of the Simpson Desert. The attendance recorded the Birdsville Lodge and Caravan Park are owned by DSC and managed
for the 2018 event was 9,027 which included volunteers and local by contractors. All up there are approximately 258 accommodation
residents. Big Red is the first of some 1,140 dunes which travellers beds in Birdsville and Bedourie made up of hotels, motels and cabins
encounter when travelling across the Simpson Desert from east to east. and an additional 341 camping and caravan sites. During major
Big Run Events is the organiser of the Big Red Bash with assistance festivals, 250 additional temporary campsites are established at the
provided by a number of sponsors including Tourism and Events Birdsville Caravan Park. The level of accommodation ranges from two to
Queensland, Outback Queensland Tourism Association and DSC. four stars (self-rated)27.
The following have been raised as potential opportunities to expand In addition to direct financial sponsorship to events, DSC also provides
the tourism sector: in kind support in the form of hire equipment, waste collection,
provision of portable toilets and bins. DSC introduced an environmental
• Events which provide financial benefits to the local economy
levy involving a special charge for tourists visiting Birsdsville to attend
without requirement for significant numbers of local volunteers
the races, which assisted to meet some of the additional costs incurred
• Capitalising on the iconic Birdsville brand by DSC during the event period.
• Expanding the shoulders of the traditional tourism season Tourism sector growth is constrained by marketing which refers to the
• Attracting corporate conferences and forums tourist season being in the winter months and by media which provides
a negative portrayal of Birdsville in summer. However, current summer
visitors are likely to experience closed or limited opening hours of
businesses and difficulty accessing the range of services and goods
available to visitors during winter.
ACTION 2.1 A
ssess the investment in tourism branding and marketing through undertaking an audit of the region’s expenditure against financial
returns to the shire of the investments.
ACTION 2.2 Undertake market testing to confirm the viability of changing the shire’s tourism brand from ‘Diamantina’ to ‘Birdsville’.
ACTION 2.3 A
mend the Diamantina Visitors’ Guide and other marketing material to remove references to the ‘best times’ to visit the region and to
ensure information is up to date and embedded links work.
ACTION 2.4 Work with businesses to ensure all accommodation options and experiences are bookable online.
ACTION 2.5 Develop a business plan for the Birdsville Caravan Park and The Lodge to guide operation, identify new markets and increase profitability.
ACTION 2.6 Undertake an economic impact assessment of the Birdsville Races and Big Red Bash events to assist planning of future events.
13Theme 3: Small business and not-for-profits
As at 30 June 2017, Diamantina Shire have different profiles, especially in terms of when the associated
expenditure occurs and the alternate purchasing options residents and
was home to 23 businesses, 47.8 per tourists have. Small businesses in Diamantina Shire should consider
how they best service these markets.
cent of which employed no staff whilst
The shire’s not-for-profit sector plays a significant role in facilitating
only seven businesses had more than tourism in the shire. Many of the signature events including the
one employee. The Agriculture, Forestry Birdsville Races are delivered by volunteers operating within
incorporated organisations. Careful consideration should be given to
and Fishing sector accounted for 30.4 growing the tourism events program in relation to the potential to
impact local volunteers.
per cent of businesses.
Governance, organisational planning, financial management and many
Between 2015 and 2017, the region lost six or 20 per cent of its other business principles are as important for successful operation
operating businesses. This downward trend was also consistent across of not-for-profits as they are for businesses. However, in the past
the neighbouring shires of Boulia, Winton and Barcoo28. remoteness has been a barrier to equitable access to training,
Business viability is impacted by the seasonal nature of tourism developmental and mentoring opportunities.
and events in the shire. Businesses experience difficulties attracting With the provision in 2017 of high speed broadband to Birdsville and
and retaining staff for casual, seasonal positions. Limited resident Bedourie townships, there is an opportunity for residents, particularly
accommodation options and very limited child care availability where they for example, are the primary care giver to young children,
compound the issue. to consider establishing home based or online businesses. High
The number of resident nights and tourist nights spent in Diamantina speed broadband also provides existing traditional businesses the
Shire is very similar (approximately 106,000 resident nights compared opportunity to expand online.
with 103,000 tourist nights). Although similar in size, these markets
ACTION 3.1 U
ndertake feasibility study into establishment of a rental car operation in conjunction with neighbouring local governments
including Winton Shire. The study should consider, among others, demand, establishment and operational costs, the ability to stage
the establishment of the business, appropriate business models, risk and logistical issues.
ACTION 3.2 E stablish a business association to co-ordinate activity relevant to businesses and not-for-profit organisations in the shire.
The association may deliver advocacy, identify gaps and facilitate professional development opportunities, seek to understand
successes outside the shire and share this information internally, support best practice in operation, succession planning,
improve profitability.
ACTION 3.3 Ensure no unnecessarily regulation or process impedes establishment of home based business operation.
ACTION 3.4 Provide information and support to promote and establish start-up businesses.
ACTION 3.5 Investigate opportunities to establish night time tourism activities to enhance the tourist experience.
ACTION 3.6 Consider a collaborative approach to year round trading to support increased tourism in summer and population retention.
14Theme 4: Economic infrastructure Whilst there are no immediate concerns about provision of water, sewage and waste services to residents, the challenge for DSC is in providing these services particularly in Birdsville, in response to large tourist events which attract 7,000 to 9,000 people, without financial impact on rate payers and the broader community. ACTION 4.1 Investigate options to deliver tourism infrastructure on a cost recovery basis 15 Continued next page
central west district
central
Theme 4: Economic infrastructure west district
- Continued
central west district
Roads
central west district
Figure 1: Road network in central west Queensland BOULIA
Corfield
Winton
SHIRE WINTON Muttaburra
COUNCIL Corfield
SHIRE
Boulia COUNCIL BARCALDINE
Aramac REGIONAL
COUNCIL
Winton
BOULIA
SHIRE WINTON Muttaburra
Longreach Barcaldine
COUNCIL SHIRE Corfield
LONGREACH
Boulia COUNCIL BARCALDINE Jericho Alpha
REGIONAL
Aramac REGIONAL
COUNCIL
COUNCIL
Winton
BOULIA
SHIRE Bedourie WINTON Muttaburra Isisford
Longreach
Stonehenge Barcaldine Blackall
COUNCIL SHIRE
COUNCIL CorfieldLONGREACH
Boulia Emmet
BARCALDINE Jericho Alpha
REGIONAL REGIONAL
DIAMANTINA Aramac
BARCOO COUNCIL BLACKALL - Tambo
COUNCIL
SHIRE SHIRE TAMBO
COUNCIL COUNCIL REGIONAL
Winton
BOULIA Isisford COUNCIL
Bedourie
StonehengeLongreach Barcaldine Blackall
SHIRE WINTON Muttaburra
COUNCIL LONGREACH
SHIRE Windorah Jericho Alpha
REGIONAL Emmet
Boulia COUNCIL BARCALDINE
DIAMANTINA BARCOO COUNCIL BLACKALL - Tambo
Aramac REGIONAL
SHIRE
Birdsville SHIRE TAMBO
COUNCIL
COUNCIL
³
COUNCIL REGIONAL
Bedourie Isisford
Stonehenge COUNCIL
Blackall
Longreach Barcaldine
Legend Windorah Emmet
LONGREACH
Jericho Alpha
DIAMANTINA BARCOO REGIONAL BLACKALL - Tambo
National road network
Birdsville SHIRE SHIRE COUNCIL TAMBO
State strategic road network COUNCIL COUNCIL
³
REGIONAL
State regional and other district road COUNCIL
Bedourie Isisford
Stonehenge Blackall
Legend National rail network Windorah 0 100
Km
National roadOther railway Emmet
network DIAMANTINA
Birdsville BARCOO BLACKALL - Tambo
Local
State strategic roadgovernment
network boundary SHIRE SHIRE
³
TAMBO
COUNCIL COUNCIL REGIONAL
State regional and other district road
Source: Department of Transport and Main Roads 2018,
COUNCIL
Legend
National rail network 0 100
Other
Windorah Queensland Transport and Roads Investment
Km Program
National roadrailway
network
Local government boundary
(QTRIP) 2018–19 to 2021–22.
State strategic road network Birdsville\\imapsfile\jobs\jobs\CORPORATE PRODUCTS\QTRIP Maps\2018\Central West\Central West District QTRIP_2018.mxd
³
State regional and other district road
National rail network 0 100
Legend
Other railway
Km
National road
Local government network
boundary
\\imapsfile\jobs\jobs\CORPORATE PRODUCTS\QTRIP Maps\2018\Central West\Central West District QTRIP_2018.mxd
DSC maintains over 1,684 kilometres of State controlled and local roads
State strategic road network The sealing of remaining sections of the Eyre Developmental Road
State regional and other district road
in the shire. Therailmajority
National network of the shire’s roads are dirt or gravel with between Bedourie and Birdsville would provide all weather access 0 100
Km
just 250 kilometres
Other railway
of bitumen
Local government boundary
roads. In 2017, a final section of the between
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West\Central population centres, a sealed route into Birdsville
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Diamantina Development Road at Marion Downs Station was sealed, from the north for tourists and improved cattle and freight transport
providing a sealed road connection between Bedourie and Boulia and outcomes. Sealing of the road would also provide an opportunity to
onto Mount Isa. establish West\Central
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West District between Birdsville and northern centres
including Mount Isa, Winton and Longreach. DSC has undertaken some
The inbound and outbound freight task for Diamantina Shire is
preliminary works to develop a project proposal which has identified a
difficult and is exacerbated by unsealed roads to the east and south
total project cost of $27.8 million. DSC proposes that the program of
of the shire in addition to 61.6 kilometres of unsealed sections of the
works will be delivered by DSC over eight years. DSC has successfully
Eyre Developmental road between Bedourie and Birdsville. The Eyre
applied for funding from the Maturing the Infrastructure Pipeline
Developmental Road is a State controlled road.
program administered by DSDMIP to complete a business case for the
The Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR) indicates the project.
following works will be undertaken in 2018 – 201929:
A second road development priority for DSC is the sealing of
• Complete paving and sealing of a 7.7 km section of the Diamantina the remaining approximately 260 kilometres of the Birdsville
Developmental Road, between Windorah and Bedourie Developmental Road between Birdsville and Windorah which
• Commence works to pave and seal 3 km of the Bedourie-Birdsville Road would provide additional tourism and transportation benefits but
just importantly would provide certainty of all-weather access for
• Review the complexities of the Eyre Developmental Road between Diamantina families. Community members consulted in development of
Bedourie and Birdsville, and develop detailed planning to improve the DSEDS consider that attracting to and retaining families in the shire
flood immunity and road alignment. is likely to be more successful if families have all weather road access to
the east where boarding schools, health services and extended families
tend to be located.
ACTION 4.2 C omplete the business case for the Eyre Development Road Pavement Sealing project to complement investigations undertaken by
GBA into construction versus maintenance costs and whole of life comparison.
ACTION 4.3 Seek funding to undertake the Eyre Development Road Pavement Sealing project.
ACTION 4.4 Identify and list priority road upgrade projects using agreed measures including the value of increased tourism revenues to the shire
and Queensland and develop advocacy material.
16 Continued next pageTheme 4: Economic infrastructure - Continued Rail There is no rail infrastructure in the Diamantina Shire. Queensland Rail’s Western System runs from Toowoomba and ends at Quilpie. The distance between Quilpie and Birdsville is approximately 627 kilometres. The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) Inland Rail project is the Australian Government’s priority freight rail project consisting of an inland railway between Melbourne and Brisbane to improve freight efficiencies and provide a competitive alternate to road transportation. The rail line has been designed to accommodate double stack freight trains up to 1,800 metres long. ARTC’s estimated cost for 224 kilometres of railway from Queensland-New South Wales border to Gowrie is $1.4 billion or $6,250,000 per kilometre30. Using direct application of ARTC figures from its Inland Rail project without consideration to differences in topography, floodplain crossings, earthworks, etc which might be required and using fifty per cent of the cost per kilometre to reflect lesser engineering standards for lighter train loads, the cost of constructing a rail line between Birdsville and Quilpie may be in the order of $1.9 billion. Consideration should be given to the likely demand and return on investment of this proposal by comparison with similar expenditure on road sealing and associated benefits to agriculture, tourism and community. Communications Residents of Birdsville and Bedourie have access to high speed digital connections via a ADSL2+ broadband service and 4G mobile phone coverage. The installation of optic fibre in the shire and in Barcoo Shire in 2017 was funded by the three levels of government and provides a superior service to that which was to have been delivered under nbn Co’s universal service obligation. The improved connectivity provides improved access to, among others, telehealth, education and business services. Residents living elsewhere in the shire are reliant on nbn Co’s Sky Muster services which generally provides an inadequate service particularly for agricultural businesses. Subscribers are likely to experience lower speeds, higher latency, lower data caps and disrupted service due to weather events. Remote customers will generally benefit from upgraded service options to reflect their disadvantage and limited choices, greater flexibility in deployment of infrastructure to reflect business needs and enablement of additional ports to reflect operation of a business from the person’s residence. Mobile phone coverage along roads within the shire is almost non-existent and a safety concern for residents and tourists alike. Digital connectivity on farm away from the homestead is a key issue for producers. The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) ran a research project between August 2017 and February 2018 to create better Internet connectivity for remote primary producers. The project succeeded in delivering a business-grade internet and connectivity network providing reliable internet continuity to participating farm businesses. Improved digital connectivity contributes to economic growth and new business and employment opportunities and fast and efficient broadband has been identified as a fundamental enabler for rural communities. Effective use will generate benefits for the Diamantina community however there is a need to increase skills to maximise benefits. Action 4.5 Develop documentation for improved digital services to rural businesses and residents through research and case studies through which to advocate for improved economic and community outcomes. Aerodromes DSC operates three aerodromes located at Birdsville, Bedourie and Betoota. The aerodromes at Birdsville and Bedourie facilitate: • Four Regional Express (REX) flights per week • Royal Flying Doctor Service and Aerial Ambulance medical evacuations • Flood evacuation and delivery of supplies • Courier, charter and general aviation operations The Betoota runway is unsealed and is only used occasionally for emergency evacuations and during events such as the Betoota Races. 17 Continued next page
Theme 4: Economic infrastructure - Continued Energy infrastructure The Birdsville and Bedourie aerodrome runways are 1,732 metres and 1,810 metres long respectively and both are 30 metres wide. They currently accommodate planes up to the size of a Bombardier Dash 8 Q300 with 34 seats. Neither airport has passenger security screening facilities31. The route serviced by REX which includes Birdsville and Bedourie is regulated by the Queensland Government. In return for the guaranteed service, the Queensland Government will not allow other airlines to service the route. REX has indicated no immediate future plans to increase the frequency of flights or upgrade its fleet to larger planes32 and therefore aerodrome runways are sufficient to meet current requirements. Energy infrastructure Diamantina Shire is not connected to the national electricity grid. Ergon Energy operates the two isolated power stations in Birdsville and Bedourie which use diesel-fuelled generators with a capacity of 300-1000 kilowatts33. From 1992 to 2017, Ergon operated one of Australia’s few low-temperature geothermal power stations at Birdsville. The geothermal power station contributed about 30 per cent of Birdsville’s energy needs with the remaining power provided by three 300 kilowatt diesel-fuelled generators34. Operation of the geothermal power station reduced diesel consumption by about 160,000 litres per year. The infrastructure reached its end of life and Ergon has taken the decision to move to solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery storage systems. Ergon is encouraging customers to install solar PV and battery storage systems to increase renewables in the town’s network, reduce the number of generators needed to meet peak demand and reduce the amount of diesel used. It is likely that this model will also be deployed in Bedourie in the future. A recently completed and unpublished study for another central west Queensland shire investigated options for more reliable, better quality and less expensive energy provision to its community. A range of options was considered with four recommended options provided including uptake of small-scale solar with or without battery storage for domestic and commercial supply. The other options included installation of larger scale battery storage for multiple users and private sector investment in large-scale solar PV. Water infrastructure Bedourie’s water supply is provided by an artesian bore which has been operating for more than 110 years and produces water with a temperature of 45 degrees35. In 2012 DSC completed the Bedourie Cooling Ponds project which cools the water to approximately 25 degrees. Any failure of the bore would have significant consequences for the town so in 2017, DSC committed to replacing the bore by 202136. Birdsville has dual reticulation from an artesian bore which produces water at a temperature of between 97 and 99 degrees and river water system which also delivers non-potable water for irrigation purposes37. Flood mapping Existing Queensland Government flood mapping indicates that Birdsville and Bedourie are both completely inundated during flood events38. More accurate mapping will assist DSC and the community to: • Identify higher risk areas in relation to development and ensure building restrictions and approvals match the associated risk • Provide accurate information for investment decisions • More accurately estimate flood risk ratings for insurance purposes with potential to reduce premiums to better reflect lower risk • More accurately assess property values This work has the potential to contribute to improved economic outcomes for the shire. ACTION 4.5 Attract funding to employ a consultant to undertake accurate flood mapping of Birdsville and Bedourie townships. 18
Theme 5: Liveability With a population of just 291 people, it is difficult to present a case for the range of social services and infrastructure which may be found in larger population centres. The issue of service provision is exacerbated by the need for service providers including DSC to service two very small communities located some distance apart. Despite the current geographical and population challenges, the region does have access to primary health services, education facilities for younger children and a range of recreational opportunities. The Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) is a summary measure of the social and economic conditions of regions across Australia. SEIFA, is generated by the ABS from the Census of Population and Housing. The index ranks regions based on socio-economic disadvantage, focusing on elements such as low-income earners, low educational attainment, high unemployment and dwellings without motor vehicles. The SEIFA index is reported in quintiles, ranging from one being most disadvantaged to five being least disadvantaged. Comparison of results from the 2016 and 2011 SEIFA shows that Diamantina Shire’s ranking has increased from quintile one to quintile three39. Housing In Diamantina Shire, in the 12 months to 31 March 2018 there were four residential dwelling sales and five vacant land sales, with no new house sales40. The vacant land sales related to DSC releasing industrial land to the market in the September quarter 201741. Property transactions on average occur every 7 years in Bedourie42. Due to this, it is difficult to calculate a median property sale price for Diamantina Shire. In 2015 a two- bedroom, 1-bathroom home in Birdsville sold for approximately $120,000. Housing availability and affordability is an issue for residents and potential residents. Residents report insufficient housing choices, expensive rents in the order of $200 to $300 per week and the cost of building which is double that in coastal areas. An online search failed to identify any housing options in either Birdsville or Bedourie43. DSC owns approximately 60 houses in Bedourie and Birdsville for accommodating its workforce. In the past. It has made vacant houses available to the private sector where possible. This year, DSC aims to finalise negotiations with Queensland Government concerning the acquisition of community housing stock and continue to make suitable housing stock available for private purchase44. Negotiations have been protracted due in part to differences in perception of the value of the houses, the value of sunk costs and maintenance costs. ACTION 5.1 Investigate the feasibility including costs and benefits of merging the Diamantina Shire population centres in one location. 19
Theme 6: Retaining population
In the period from 2011 to 2036, the population of Diamantina Shire is projected to
decrease from 291 people to 264 people . Anecdotal evidence from DSC indicates,
45
‘retaining people in the shire is difficult given the limitations of schooling, health,
cost of living and family needs’ . This is supported by the ABS 2016 census which
46
showed 39.8 per cent of the shire’s residents had a different address in 2011 . 47
The future sustainability of the Diamantina Shire and its residents is fundamentally linked to population retention and future population growth.
With negligible unemployment and difficulties in attracting professionals and tradespeople to full time available positions, there is a need for a
collaborative and innovative approach which identifies the ‘points of difference‘ for Diamantina Shire which can be used to aggressively market its
liveability to potential residents. Whilst DSC plays an important role and contributes significantly to enhance the social fabric of the region, there is
a need for population retention and growth to become the business of all residents.
ACTION 6.1 E stablish an outcomes focused, community led ‘population group’ to identify and deliver strategies to increase the shire’s population.
Strategies may include:
• Setting a target ie increase population by 5 people each year for the next three years
• Undertaking exit interviews with all people who leave the region to understand how best to improve liveability, maximise
investment in social infrastructure and maximise advocacy for additional services
• Developing a webpage which discusses all aspects of the shire’s liveability including job opportunities and accommodation options
• Engaging with community to generate ideas (with cost, implementation plan and responsible person identified by person offering idea)
• Developing a strategy to keep youth connected to Diamantina – see for example Friends of Kastellorizo http://kastellorizo.com/
• Mapping job vacancies to youth skill sets
• Identifying and promote business opportunities to bring new families into the region
• Developing a strategy to employ a secondary teacher or teachers to teach Years 7 to 10
• Working collaboratively across the community including DSC and businesses to reduce freight costs and the general cost of living.
ACTION 6.2 E stablish collaborative employment attraction strategies including an online portal which provides details of the employment
opportunity, the workplace and regional conditions, housing options and other key material important to employment decisions.
This material may include vignettes delivered by people living in region.
ACTION 6.3 U
ndertake an audit of all online sites and electronic material to ensure messages are consistent and up to date and all hyperlinks
are functional.
ACTION 6.4 S trengthen communication between the community and DSC to increase information sharing and engagement buy community in
planning and implementation of projects and services.
20Implementation, monitoring and evaluation Halting population decline and then growing the population will not be easily achieved. Influencing the predicted population decline to 264 people Halting population decline and then growing the population will not be easily achieved. Influencing the predicted population decline to 264 people by 2036 will require focused effort from all community members and some economic leadership from some community individuals and from Diamantina’s elected representatives. Consistency in the community’s approach to issues and to prioritising issues is crucial. If the community is to achieve its vision, it will need to work as one and ensure collective effort on agreed activities. Achieving a different future to that which is laid out by the ABS and others based on historic data, will require tenacity, focus and positivity. Although initiatives may not have been successful in the past, through a changed political or social environment or greater collective effort, they may be achievable today through increased collective effort and persistence. Implementation of the Action Plan is likely to provide step change. Turning the Diamantina Shire’s economy around and achieving the shire’s vision is unlikely to be achieved in the short term. It will be necessary to review the Action Plan at regular (ideally 12 month) intervals to assess progress and to consider whether the next group of actions are still relevant. Due to external influences, some may not retain relevance over the three year timeframe of the Action Plan. Others may need to be amended or removed due to activities which have occurred in the previous period. At the end of the three year timeframe of the Action Plan, the DSEDS should be reviewed and a new Action Plan will need to be developed to frame the community’s focus for the next period, identify individuals who will lead the initiatives and the stakeholders who should assist. 21
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