Short-term caravan park supports Maryvale tourism

Southern Downs Regional Council received a petition at last week’s Ordinary Meeting from the Maryvale Progress Association (MPA) in favour of a 72-hour RV stopover park and dump point at the Railway Reserve and voted to refer the matter for further investigation.

While the petition was signed by more than 100 local residents and visitors, the proposal for a Council-funded and maintained short-term caravan site has also been met by opposition from some residents.

In submitting the petition to Council, MPA Secretary Simon Ellery’s accompanying letter claimed the project “will encourage visitors to the village to experience and enjoy the Railway Reserve”, however opposing residents are concerned the project could detract from the quiet and quaint character of the township and suggested that funds would be better spent on essential infrastructure for the local community.

Southern Downs Mayor Vic Pennisi said that Council supported villages across the region to enhance their unique charm and character, and it was important in Maryvale’s case to further review the proposal for a short-term RV park to determine what was in the best interest of the whole community.

“Council is keen to work with individual communities to help them their shape and enrich their urban areas and Maryvale is home to a proud and passionate community who treasure where they live,” Mayor Pennisi said.

“Council worked closely in 2018 with the Maryvale community on its Urban Design Framework, and reviewing the RV proposal is another layer of the project.

“Council recently met with the Maryvale community and heard first hand that there are two sides to this story.”

Voting in favour of receiving the petition, Southern Downs Councillor Stephen Tancred said the number of signatories indicated that there was merit and support to investigate the proposal further.

“This petition has well over 100, maybe 200 signatures and I note that most of them live at Maryvale or Goomburra or somewhere fairly close. As petitions go, it seems to carry a fair bit of weight and I can commend the residents of Maryvale for communicating with us in this way,” Councillor Tancred said.

At a recent Connecting with Council meeting in Maryvale, it was noted that 303 people lived in the locality.