Northern Beaches Community Hub

PROJECT UPDATE: The Northern Beaches Community Hub project will go from strength to strength as council signs off on the next stage of this exciting signature project. Council awarded a $21 million tender for stage 1B to T.F. Woollam & Son Pty Ltd at the ordinary meeting of council on June 18, 2025. Click to learn more.

The completion of Stage 1A is expected in during July, 2025, weather permitting.

The Northern Beaches Community Hub will be a welcoming local meeting place with access to a range of community facilities in the heart of the fastest growing area in Mackay.

The northern suburbs of the Mackay urban area, namely Rural View, Eimeo, Blacks Beach, Dolphin Heads, Bucasia and Shoal Point, are collectively referred to as the Northern Beaches.

The Northern Beaches experienced the highest population growth rate and number during the recent high growth period in the Mackay region, growing from 8,800 in 2001 to 18,700 in 2016, as the Mackay region benefitted from expansions in coal mining, mining service industries and tourism.

The Northern Beaches remains a major population growth area. The Northern Beaches area had a population of 21,000 in 2021 and is projected to attract over 40% of future population growth in the Mackay region in the next 20 years, growing to over 32,000 by 2041.

What is a Community Hub?

A community hub brings together community facilities and social infrastructure services in a centrally accessible location. By co-locating services, a hub provides a local meeting place where the community can connect. This is an opportunity to create new partnerships and through cooperation deliver a range of community activities, programs, services and events tailored to the needs of the Northern Beaches community.

The Northern Beaches Community Hub has the potential to:

provide a community space that appeals to a broad range of users
be an active space catering to the health and well-being of the community
be a connected space connecting community spatially and digitally
be a flexible space to future proof the community hub
be a tropical space that responds and celebrates the local climate.

Proposed outcomes:

The Northern Beaches Community Hub will provide a focal point for services and activities. The concept will include spaces which could:

• cluster community facilities to deliver more cost-effective service delivery
• contribute to place-making and community building in the Northern Beaches area
• provide meeting spaces for community groups, families, seniors and youth
• provide a range of community activities, programs, services and events
• provide opportunities for cross-referral and delivery of community services and programs
• encourage co-operation and partnerships across community groups, government and the private sector.

The Australian Government has committed $6.5 million of the estimated $10 million cost to establish Stage 1A and has committed $15 million in funding for Stage 1B of the Northern Beaches Community Hub.

The Northern Beaches Community Hub Stages 1A and 1B are funded by the Australian Government and Mackay Regional Council.

Click here to learn more about this exciting project and to view the latest master plan.