Community
14 October, 2023
Boot to shine again
THE iconic ‘Golden Gumboot’ at Tully is to get a long overdue facelift.
Cassowary Coast Regional Council has endorsed the design concept for the beautification of Banyan and Lions Park at the gateway to the town in Butler St during the September 2023 local government meeting.
Division 2 Councillor Teresa Millwood said based on the outcomes of the community consultation, the council endorsed the staged delivery of option one concept design, which would create a welcoming space for families and visitors.
“Thank you to the Tully and surrounding community members who took the time to provide feedback on the vision for Banyan Park,” she said.
“Delivered in stage one will be improved landscaping, accessibility, and signage around the iconic Golden Gumboot. This will create a vibrant entrance to Tully CBD and play a key role in the storytelling of our region.
“The staged approach will also see an interpretive node, parking upgrades, iconic entry signage, an avenue of trees, as well as significant tree feature lighting on the iconic raintrees.
“Council will be working to deliver stage one within the next nine months in preparation for the Tully 100 celebrations, a highly anticipated and exciting event for our town.
“The additional feedback provided by respondents allowed council to understand the preferred elements and features, and how the concept design can be further improved through the detailed design phase.”
Cr Millwood said after consultation closed, the council received a petition in response to the concept design options.
“Council addressed the issues highlighted in the petition through consultation with the primary principal petitioner,” she said.
“In response to the concerns raised through the petition, council resolved to ensure a net increase in precinct parking is delivered as the detailed design process progresses.
“The detailed design phase will involve engagement with adjacent businesses, property owners, and community to ensure that public concerns and aspirations are understood and considered."
The Golden Gumboot was inspired by Tully's record 7.9m of rain in 1950 and its claim to the title of wettest place in Australia.
However in recent years Babinda has regularly grabbed the title. Last year Babinda, 83km north of Tully, recorded 4543.2mm versus 4010.3mm.
