In 2017, Council completed a tender for the Woodburn Riverside Precinct Master Plan – Design Report. The report aimed to “prepare a blueprint for the future of the main street and foreshore areas of the Precinct, ensuring that the inevitable change emanating from the Woodburn bypass can be approached in a positive and proactive way.”
The report identified the need to assist the town in reducing the bypass’s impacts and establishing attractive and usable facilities that meet future needs for tourism, economic development, and liveability. The Masterplan was adopted by the Council at the June 2017 Ordinary Council Meeting.
There are five core parts of the masterplan:
- New multi-use community building;
- Playground and central hub area;
- Village green and memorial spaces;
- Waterfront improvements and
- Streetscape areas.
Click here to view the Woodburn Riverside Master Plan
Significant funding was secured from all levels of government for the upgrade and rejuvenation of the riverside park element of the Master Plan, and construction was completed several years ago. This upgrade has been very well received by the public and, as intended, has become an important stopover point for Pacific Motorway travellers.
Committed funding:
- $810,000 – Australian Government
- $653,656 – NSW Government
- $761,752 – Richmond Valley Council
The works included:
- Community building including new visitor information centre, toilet facilities, and function room.
- Western lawn area
- Picnic terraces
- New beach construction, including retaining walls
- Adventure playground
- Extensive pathways and turfing throughout
- Timber boardwalk and boating pontoon
- BBQ area and shelters
Following significant damage to the CBD precinct in the 2022 floods, Council allocated $120,000 through the Office of Local Government to design the streetscape portion of the Master Plan.
A request for quotes from suitably qualified contractors to design the streetscape was undertaken, and in March 2023, Eltham Architectural Firm Ennismore Field was awarded the project.
Ennismore Field Landscape Architects have completed the Woodburn Riverside Streetscape Design which was informed by stakeholder consultation forums and considerable research and background of Woodburn’s status and rebuild progress. Grant funding opportunities can now be explored to enable construction.
Click here to view the Woodburn Riverside streetscape concept plans