Wide Bay Burnett regional plan

The Wide Bay Burnett region is one of the most diverse regions in Queensland, boasting outstanding natural assets and resources, agricultural land, and unique townships.

The region’s agriculture, renewable energy, manufacturing and tourism industries are key contributors to Queensland’s economy.

Region at a glance

  • 310,728 population

  • 119,745 dwellings

  • 113,314 Jobs

This region includes the local government areas of:

  • Bundaberg Regional Council
  • Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council
  • Fraser Coast Regional Council
  • Gympie Regional Council
  • North Burnett Regional Council
  • South Burnett Regional Council.

The Wide Bay Burnett region is currently home to more than 300,000 people and the population is expected to grow by an additional 48,500 people by 2046. This plan will help optimise the opportunities this growth brings to this region.

Vision for the future

The Wide Bay Burnett Regional Plan (2023) (high resolution PDF, 102MB), (low resolution PDF, 14MB) shares a vision for the future of the region.

A child born today will have clear pathways to a lifetime of real opportunities within Wide Bay Burnett, with access to an industrious and connected regional economy, built on clean, green and productive industries.

Prepared in partnership with local governments, local industries and the broader community, it highlights the opportunities for the region over the next 25 years.

To achieve this vision, the plan outlines three major strategic priorities:

  1. Growing our people and places
  2. Taking charge of our economic future
  3. Sustaining our environment and lifestyle

The regional plan was finalised following extensive consultation and a statutory notification period of 8 November 2022 to 24 February 2023. Details of the formal notification process and submissions received are available in the Wide Bay Burnett Regional Plan (2023) Consultation Summary Report ( 1.3 MB).

Building our future together

The plan focuses on attracting and retaining people in the region, promoting workforce opportunities, enhancing the region’s existing economic strengths while nurturing emerging industries, and reinforcing the lifestyle this community enjoys.

The plan sets out an economic strategy for the region and identifies integrated land use and infrastructure planning responses. These actions are prioritised in the short, medium, and long term for the future of this region.

Planning and investment

The Wide Bay Burnett Regional plan (2023) and the Wide Bay Burnett Infrastructure Supplement 2023 are complementary supporting a coordinated approach to sequencing and prioritising planning and investment. This includes infrastructure for the region.

Regional Plan minor amendment

A minor amendment of the Wide Bay Burnett Regional Plan was made under section 11 of the Planning Act 2016 on 20 September 2024 to correct mapping errors at ‘Figure 3’. The amendment ensures that the ‘industrial precinct investigation’ areas within the Gympie Regional local government area are correctly depicted in the regional plan.

Frequently asked questions

  • The Wide Bay Burnett Regional Plan 2023 applies to the following local government areas:

    • Bundaberg Regional Council
    • Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council
    • Fraser Coast Regional Council
    • Gympie Regional Council
    • North Burnett Regional Council
    • South Burnett Regional Council.

    For the purposes of the Wide Bay Burnett Regional Plan 2023, the region also includes Queensland offshore waters that are part of those local government areas.

  • With more people choosing to live, work and visit in the region, we need to ensure the region grows in a sustainable way – socially, environmentally and economically. The Wide Bay Burnett Regional Plan (2023) provides direction for the region to manage future growth while supporting future jobs, housing, liveability and the environment.

  • The Wide Bay Burnett region is currently home to more than 300,000 people and the population is expected to grow by an additional 48,500 people by 2046.

    The Wide Bay Burnett Regional Plan (2023) supports jobs and the growing economy by identifying key industry growth areas and signalling investment opportunities for emerging industries such as renewable energy and the circular economy, while also supporting the continued growth of the region’s traditional industries including agriculture and manufacturing.

  • Increasing development pressure and land availability may have long term implications on housing supply in the Wide Bay Burnett region. Housing supply pressures will also likely be experienced along the coastal areas and in the larger townships of the region into the future. The Wide Bay Burnett Regional Plan (2023) assists local governments to investigate and identify new urban development opportunities to accommodate growth. This includes providing better housing options which fits the needs of the community and promoting affordable and diverse housing choices.

  • Competition for skilled workers and talent will continue across regional Australia. The Wide Bay Burnett Regional Plan (2023) includes guidance on providing well-serviced industrial land to help grow and attract investment and jobs which require a skilled workforce. The plan also addresses the need to increase employment and training by supporting the linkages between industry, education and training facilities.

  • The Wide Bay Burnett Regional Plan (2023) seeks to ensure places with high biodiversity value and ecological processes are appropriately protected. This is done by mapping the regional biodiversity network for local governments to reflect in their planning schemes. The plan also nominates strategic environmental areas. In these areas certain development and other activities must demonstrate that they will not jeopardise ecological integrity by ensuring they do not cause widespread or irreversible impacts to the nominated environmental attributes.

Last updated: 20 Sep 2024