Great Places Program (Urban Design and Heritage)
The Great Places Program informs planning policy for best practice built environment and excellence in urban design for the region.
Council is undertaking several foundational investigations which will help plan for future development.
Moreton Bay Place Identity Study Foundational Directions Report
The Place Identity Study Foundational Directions Report has investigated the many ‘place’ qualities within the city area, each with a unique identity, and provides foundational directions to inform future place-based development outcomes in these areas. It supports the implementation of the Growth Management Strategy 2042, and will inform future Planning Scheme, Neighbourhood Plan and Growth Area planning responses.
Place identity is an important consideration in planning for the growth of City of Moreton Bay. When the unique attributes of a place are known and acknowledged they can guide place making and planning for future growth. A place can evolve over time and support new and diverse types of housing whilst still maintaining the valued attributes of its identity.
The study found that the city area does not have one distinct ‘place identity’, rather the city’s unique place identity is comprised of a cluster of localities each responding to the natural and cultural elements that have formed. There were five place localities identified.
Focus of each place's locality identity
| Place locality |
Place identity focus |
| Open Foothills |
Agricultural and waterway connections. |
| The Peninsula |
Urban bayside lifestyle fringed by iconic ochre cliff forms. |
| The Ranges |
Green backdrop of rugged mountains, hills and valleys. |
| Rising Plains |
Vibrant lifestyle connected to bushland and waterways. |
| Sandy Bay |
Relaxed coastal living in a natural setting. |
Find out more by viewing the Place Identity Study Foundational Directions Report(PDF, 13MB).
Townships and Coastal Communities Character Investigation
The Township and Coastal Communities Character Investigation is part of the Reshaping our Region’s Planning portfolio. It is a foundational strategic policy investigation that will help inform the new planning scheme. Completing the investigation was also an action of the Growth Management Strategy 2042.
The Investigation identifies and describes the current character of Moreton Bay’s townships and coastal communities. It assists Council in recognising, managing and enhancing what makes these places special and unique.
Character is important because it contributes to what makes a place identifiable. It is often why people choose to live in a place and why tourists visit, and it is important to consider as Moreton Bay grows. Acknowledging character does not mean that everything will stay the same. A place can grow and evolve whilst considering the character that has made it special and unique.
Townships
Moreton Bay townships were built on former railway stations. Samford Village and Dayboro were part of Ferny Grove line. D’Aguilar, Wamuran and Woodford were on the Kilcoy line. The traditional character seen in these townships is because of their connections to colonial settlement history and the materials and services made available by the railway.
The first column list the names of townships. The second column lists the character description of each township.
| Township |
Character description |
| D'Aguilar |
A small township set in a rural landscape. |
| Dayboro |
A traditional township centred on a sloping main street, set within lush vegetation and framed by rural landscape. |
| Samford Village |
A quaint rural township centred on a compact main street and set within rolling hills and forested mountain surrounds. |
| Wamuran |
A small township with connections to former railway, set within rural and hilly bushlands. |
| Woodford |
A distinct rural colonial township, centred on a long main street, set in a rural landscape. |
Coastal communities
The connection to the coastal waters of Pumicestone Passage and Moreton Bay plays an important part in the character of these communities. Many started as small fishing villages and holiday destinations, which has influenced the built form character of these communities.
The first column list the names of coastal communities. The second column lists the character description of each community.
| Suburb |
Character description |
| Beachmere |
Bayside place with decorative coastal holiday shacks overlooking tidal mudflats. |
| Bongaree |
Island seaside destination peppered with character buildings and extensive foreshore parks. |
| Clontarf |
Urban entry to the Redcliffe Peninsula coast from the Houghton Highway. |
| Donnybrook |
Coastal residential architectural character in the relaxed atmosphere of a fishing village. |
| Margate |
Seaside living overlooking a sandy esplanade and foreshore lined by Norfolk Pine trees. |
| Redcliffe Seaside Village |
Central vibrant seaside destination with character buildings and public foreshore parks. |
| Scarborough |
Coastal esplanade bound by awnings and mature trees overlooking a sloping foreshore parkland and ochre cliffs. |
| Toorbul |
Post-war coastal residential architectural character in the relaxed atmosphere of a seaside community. |
| Woody Point |
Urban coastal architecture set on a promontory overlooking the jetty and two bays. |
| Woorim |
Relaxed Island beachside living with a coastal architecture set within extensive bushland. |
The investigation includes profiles, a character statement, descriptions, images, sketches and details of built form character for each township and coastal community.