RETAIL precinct

CREATING A RETAIL ENVIRONMENT THAT SUPPORTS LOCAL BUSINESSES

Flinders Shire Council is investing in the beautification and revitalisation of the Brodie Street precinct area. Acknowledging our community’s heritage, the beautification of the main street of Hughenden will support a budding retail industry. With so much happening in Hughenden and the Flinders region, now is the right time. 

The chief focus of the revitalisation is to ensure local business growth. Coupled with emerging industries (Agriculture, meat processing and renewable energy), starting a business in Hughenden makes for clever investing.

The Brodie Street retail precinct will be a meeting place for Flinders Community and a place to stop for travellers. Using principles of Biophilic design, landscaping will help reduce ambient temperatures and increase the visual appeal of the central business district.

Another reason to head to Hughenden and another opportunity to make the most of.

MEAT PROCESSING WORKS

HUGHENDEN LEADS THE CHARGE WITH BEEF EXPORT

Closure of meatworks in regional Queensland over recent years has reduced the processing options for millions of cattle raised in the state’s “Outback”. This region has over 30 per cent of the state’s total cattle. Demand for beef and beef co-products from expanding Asian markets is expected to rise over the coming decades due to population growth and higher per capita incomes.

Flinders Shire Council has taken the first steps to secure the region’s place as a reliable, innovative supplier of quality Australian beef to growing markets in Asia, the Middle East and other parts of the world.

With investment secured for a meat processing plant and feedlot, Hughenden is expecting to see a large workforce inbound to support the initiative. 

Looking for new business opportunities? This project presents stakeholders with a wealth of options.

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY & RENEWABLES

MAKE HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES… AND THERE IS A LOT OF SUN

Hughenden and the Flinders region get plenty of sunshine and plenty of wind – what better place to create a renewable energy plant? Taking advantage of the area’s natural abundance of wind and solar, the Kennedy Energy Park will supply energy to the grid with reliability never before seen in the Australian renewable industry. 

As the project continues, Hughenden is set to become a leader is clean energy production. So when it comes to energy sector opportunities, the early bird is heading to Flinders Shire.

NEW INDUSTRIAL ESTATE

WE’RE READY WHEN YOU ARE

The Hughenden Industrial Estate is situated 2km West of the centre of Hughenden township.

The Industrial Estate covers a total area of 35.9 hectares and is zoned appropriately. All blocks in the existing estate are serviced by water, sewer and electricity reticulation.

The Estate is being progressively developed and to date, all lots have been sold to the private sector, which includes a variety of enterprises such as:

• Transport Services
• Building and Concrete Supplies
• Plumbing and Gas Fitting
• Renewable Energy Facility
• Mechanical and Machinery Repairs

Land is now for sale in the second stage extension of the existing Estate development. Submit enquiries to Ray White Rural in Hughenden.

THE CATTLE INDUSTRY

IN HUGHENDEN, WE BRING THE BEEF

There is a significant demand for clean, grass-fed beef. Beef is our largest agricultural export and it’s humbling to know that Australian beef is enjoyed around the globe. 

Hughenden is situated at the junction of five roads and this unique, central location is ideal for freight in each direction. With the recent addition of bitumen on the Kennedy Developmental Road, access to northern markets including Cairns plus the port of Townsville a four-hour drive away means Hughenden cattle will feature more and more on menus near and afar. Kennedy Developmental Road is expected to be fully sealed by end of 2022.

ART & SCULPTURES

AN OUTBACK ARTIST’S HAVEN

Hughenden is an outback artist’s haven. Take in a trail of sculptures scattered through the town, admire the mammoth murals and let the staggering history of the region wash over you, both recent and ancient.

Coolabah tree

A STAPLE OF AUSTRALIAN HISTORY

Spend some time under the Coolibah tree. The tree is a staple of Australian history. You’ll stumble on the treat at the entrance to the Hughenden Showgrounds.

The Historical Coolabah Tree is linked to two relief missions in search of the Burke and Wills expedition. Both expeditions blazed the tree, passing it on their search to find the Flinders River, triggering the growth of settlement in the area.

ECO WALK

WALK ALONG THE DIVERSE BIOREGIONS OF FLINDERS SHIRE

Take a stroll on the Eco Walk on Flinders. Enjoy a walk along the diverse bioregions of the Flinders Shire at Eco Walk on Flinders.

These ecosystems have been replicated along the northern banks of the Flinders River with over 1.5km of walking tracks. Along the pathway are species of flora and local artworks illustrating important events, and the myriad of the diversity of the Flinders Shire.

WINDMILLS

ONE OF ONLY 15 GIANT WINDMILLS EVER CREATED

Take in the Windmills – Hughenden is somewhat famed for its windmills.
Take the mammoth 35 foot comet windmill on the outskirts of town at Wirilla Station. One of only
15 giant windmills ever created and have the ability to pump over one million litres of water per day.

Federation Rotunda

A CELEBRATION OF SCULPTURE

If you’re in town make sure you head to Brodie Street and see the Federation Rotunda, an artistic sculpture made from two 20 foot blade windmills connected by a sheet of iron. Made by local artists, the sculpture was erected as a celebration of the Centenary of Federation in 2001.

Hughenden Recreational Lake

MAKE THE MOST OF THE COOL WATER AND THE FACILITIES

Constructed in 2019 as a joint initiative between Flinders shire council and the Australian government – The Hughenden Recreational Lake is a multiple-use lake. Shared by boaters, water skiers, kayakers, rowers and swimmers. All visitors are welcome and we encourage you to make the most of the cool water and the facilities. Need a swim, into your boating, want to drop a line or ready for a canoe? The lake is your go-to place!

Brodie Street precinct

PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY TO STROLL THROUGH LOCAL SHOPS AND LET THE KIDS RUN LOOSE

The Brodie Street precinct area has been refurbished and is the principal retail area of Hughenden, boasting art, a naturally cooling biophilic design and plenty of opportunities to stroll through local shops. We recommend taking some time to walk the precinct, stop in for a coffee or sit in the park with your shoes off, have a BBQ and let the kids run loose. 

SCHOOLS

PERSONALISED LEARNING IN THE OUTBACK

Hughenden State School serves students from Prep to Year 12 education and has an enrolment of roughly 85 primary students and 45 secondary students. They are able to provide a personalised learning path for their pupils because they are a small school. This is demonstrated by the large proportion of senior students enrolled in personalised learning programmes ranging from traineeships to introductory tertiary subjects.

St. Francis Catholic Elementary School Hughenden is located on the Flinders Highway, 380 kilometres west of Townsville. In October 1900, six Good Samaritan Sisters arrived to establish the school. The initial enrolment was 12 children, but it rapidly swelled to 175, including a few boarders. St Francis Catholic School is a small school that serves kids from Prep to Year 6 and has a rich history of offering high-quality education in a Catholic setting.

Real estate

ACHIEVE THE AUSSIE DREAM

Hughenden has a population of 1,132 people, with rental housing accounting for 22.64 percent of the housing stock. The typical listing price for homes in Hughenden is $150,000, a -4.46 percent decrease from the previous year. This indicates that the median home price in Hughenden is around $400,000 less than the median listing price for a unit in suburban Brisbane and about $200,000 less than the median listing price for a house in Townsville. This suggests that Hughenden provides a plethora of investment prospects as well as affordable housing for those interested in the region.

Work Opportunities

EMPLOYMENT AND PROMISE OFF GROWTH

Hughenden has more than a century of the agricultural industry in the region, so there’s plenty of work for individuals who don’t mind getting their hands dirty. Hughenden also acts as a major rail hub for the northbound rail network, providing plenty of regional jobs in the rail and distribution industries.