Sunshine Coast Ecological Park

Council acquired the 65-hectare parcel of land between 2016 and 2018. Four rural lots were purchased using funds from the Sunshine Coast Council Environment Levy and Local Government Infrastructure Program (Parks and Land for Community Facilities).

The Master Plan was developed through three phases of co-design with the wider community.

Between 2022 and 2023, Council shared information and sought feedback from the community on the values, key strategies, proposed activities and precinct concepts leading to the finalised master plan.

In addition to community consultation activities, an excellence advisory panel and community reference group were established and helped inform the development of the master plan.

View the Have Your Say website here. 

The Jinibara peoples are the determined native title holders for the area that incorporates the ecological park.

Council and Jinibara peoples share a vision that the park will be a welcoming and culturally safe space for both indigenous and non-indigenous peoples, providing grounds for truth telling, healing and cultural knowledge sharing.

Working in partnership with Jinibara Traditional Owners, the park will be a space that promotes and acknowledges the connection between land and people. It will be a place where First Nations peoples’ knowledge and practices can be understood and celebrated, benefiting both the ecology and community.

Educational elements will form part of the park. Signage, experiences and insertions will be utilised to tell stories of local heritage (both First Nations and European), teach sustainable practices, build meaning and connection to the place, and celebrate natural history.

The project provides an opportunity to expand our region’s accessible green spaces, provide a buffer and relieve some pressure from the busy Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve (MCSR) and other major parks in our region.

The park will complement the mosaic of ecosystems with MCSR and safeguard the existing old growth forest.

MCSR Staff and volunteers will play a vital role in the delivery of the new ecological park through shared local knowledge and experiences.

Embedding the park into the community and its surrounding will boost the region’s open space network and natural amenity. Opportunities to connect the park through active transport links to other walking trails, the Maleny Town Centre and other local retail centres will continue to be explored with the relevant authorities.

This ecological park concept explores the idea of co-habitation, which fosters a relationship within living systems that share the same place. It is critical we expand open space design beyond a human-centric approach and create a shared space for all species: a place where we all care for Country.

The park will create opportunities for people of all ages to learn, pause, engage and reflect on their personal relationship with the environment and help foster a stronger connection.

Over 70 per cent of the ecological park site will be revegetated to ensure ecosystems can flourish.

The project’s environment, social and economic benefits extend far beyond the Sunshine Coast’s boundaries. The legacy of the park will benefit the local community and extend to future generations along with South East Queensland’s biodiversity, community health and wellbeing, an enhanced tourism reputation, economic benefits, a deeper understanding of First Nations Culture by residents and visitors and a place which is recognised as welcoming and accessible for all.

The park aims to be a beacon of environmental sustainability. Environmental excellence will be applied to all aspects of planning, construction and operation supported by community involvement and stewardship. Best practice principles including restoration, reuse and rehabilitation will be adopted. 

Council recognises climate change as a global issue and that we are in a state of climate emergency requiring urgent and sustained effort. We also recognise that responding to climate change is a shared responsibility. The Sunshine Coast Ecological Park forms part of Council’s efforts to focus our efforts and change our behaviours to increase the resilience of our region.

Accessibility is a key feature to ensure all people, including those with mobility issues or disabilities are able to enjoy and appreciate the park’s features, amenities, and natural beauty, including a universal design/accessible tree top bridge, loop path and a diverse range of pathways that cater to the needs of all ages and abilities, including opportunities for buggy access to remote park destinations to allow people with disabilities and the elderly to experience key park elements.

Traffic and parking will form an important part of the design and planning process to ensure minimal impact to the surrounding road network and neighbouring properties while still permitting community access to the park.

Council will undertake investigations to understand potential traffic impacts, flow and access.

Community feedback through the community engagement process has also been considered in developing the master plan.

Community gathering spaces and infrastructure will be centralised in the heart of the park to allow the majority of the park to play a more passive and ecological role.

Our community will have many opportunities to play an integral role in the park’s restorative process and connect more strongly with the land and each other. This will be achieved through knowledge sharing, collaboration, environmental sustainability initiatives such as planting days, research, cultural education and events, volunteering, community celebrations and more.  The best way to learn how to be involved in the park’s evolution is by subscribing for project updates via the button on the home page.

For more information on the ecological park, you can email scep@sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au.