Councillor John Weiland: Looking beyond the Torquay foreshore debate

IN THE HERVEY Bay Advertisers first extended conversation with Councillor John Weiland, it became quickly apparent that he held no hardened view on the Torquay Caravan Park but a calm focus on something larger, the city Hervey Bay can become.

Cr. Weiland is clear that he will abide by the outcome of Council’s community consultation on the Torquay foreshore.

“I’ll be pretty well influenced by the feedback,” he said.

“If it’s overwhelming, I don’t think any councillor could, or would, vote against it.”

He accepts that participation has been uneven, with highly motivated residents dominating submissions while many busy families have not had time to engage.

“If someone handed me a survey while I have three kids in tow, I wouldn’t stop and do it either,” he said.

“But everyone has equal opportunity. If they choose not to take part, there is little we can do about that”.

Cr. Weiland believes that input still matters, even from those who might never fill out a form.

“The average person’s view is just as valid as the most vocal campaigner,” he said.

“They are still a ratepayer and they still live here.”

Yet his mind is already trained on a broader horizon.

When asked if the narrative that the Torquay Caravan Park should go, to create green space that will foster youth retention, his response was broad and future focussed.

“The real question is not just whether the caravan park stays or goes, but how Hervey Bay will house and sustain the next generation”.

“We need diversity, not just density,” he explained.

“Ninety-seven percent of our housing is suburban sprawl, the most expensive to buy and the most expensive to service.”

“I would love to see a space where you could live, work, and study, and get around on our transport network. That’s what will attract and keep young people here.”

Cr. Weiland points to the Pialba CBD as the logical heart of that transformation.

“That is where our infrastructure can handle growth.”

“We have just updated the planning scheme to allow more density in strategic nodes. It is not about high-rise everywhere, but it is about giving people options.”

The Councillor sees well-designed infill as both an economic and social imperative.

“Friends of mine who are single parents just want an apartment, but there are none. Our market is one-dimensional. If we can add other tiers of housing, hopefully at lower price points, it benefits everyone.”

“We need new projects that actually help local families buy a home, not just add to the top end of the market.”

While some see Hervey Bay’s ageing demographic as a problem, Weiland calls it a compliment.

“What a thing, that people want to retire here.”

“But we have to balance that growth. The hospital is crying out for a workforce.”

“Young professionals just won’t come if there’s nowhere affordable to live. That is the main issue, not the Caravan Park”.

Weiland concedes that the caravan park debate is all but over, but he sees opportunity elsewhere.

“I think the Torquay Caravan Park will stay,” he said, “but we need to improve that area so tourists have a better experience.”

“Look at any major regional coastal city, they all have a signature parkland facing the water.”

His openness to a “both-and” approach, protecting the park while planning new parklands, contrasts starkly with some of the zero-sum tone that has defined much of the current debate.

“It’s not one or the other,” he said.

“We can have both, if we get it right.”

As the Torquay Foreshore Community Consultation draws record responses, Weiland says councillors would do well to respect the strength of public feedback and remains careful not to make promises beyond what the community decides.

This is not about us making a decision for today,” he said. “It’s about shaping a city the next generation will be proud to call home.”

What’s your view on the Torquay foreshore? Make your opinion count by completing the Council’s survey by 10 November - scan the QR code below.

The Hervey Bay Advertiser is publishing a series of articles relating to the Torquay Caravan Park debate. All comments attributed to elected representatives reflect their personal views and not the official position of
the Fraser Coast Regional Council.