Western Downs Futures

The First Progress Team meeting was convened on 5 June 2023 to continue the dialogue around regional collaboration.

This meeting aimed to (1) revisit some key concepts from the Summit, (2) share new information and examples of collaborative partnership governance arrangements, (3) provide activities that enabled participants to start to experience real collaboration and decision-making in practice, whilst starting to land some key elements of the work.

Click here to view or download the meeting summary.(PDF, 2MB) 

Two working groups were formed to finalise the Vision Statement, Principles and Governance Design for our place-based strategy. 

These groups met in July with the objective to take back their work to the Progress Team meeting #2. 

Click here to view or download the Vision Statement Working Group meeting summary(PDF, 571KB)

Click here to view or download the Governance Design Working Group meeting summary(PDF, 2MB)  

The second Progress Team meeting was held on Tuesday 8 August 2023 at the Tara Soldiers Memorial Hall.

This meeting aimed to (1) continue learning from other examples of place-based change initiatives, (2) review the work that was progressed by the 2 x working group's established at the previous progress team meeting, (3) continue design work on the governance structure, principles and vision.

Click here to view or download the meeting summary.(PDF, 2MB)

The third Progress Team meeting was held on Tuesday 17 October 2023 at the Chinchilla RSL.

This meeting aimed to (1) continue to deepen the understanding about what is needed for genuine collaboration, (2) create a shared understanding and language on how to hold multiple perspectives in shared decision making, role and authority, and to (3) finalise input on principles.

A project plan working group was formed at this meeting to submit a funding application to Advance Queensland as a step towards standing up an initiative under the Western Downs Futures.

Click here to view or download the meeting summary.(PDF, 3MB)

The fourth Progress Team meeting was on Tuesday 20 February 2024 at the Dalby Events Centre.

This meeting aimed to (1) provide a progress update on funding applications, (2) activate the leadership component of the governance arrangements, (3) action planning for the incoming program manager and leadership team, and (4) establish working groups.

Click here to view or download the meeting summary.(PDF, 3MB)

Over a 12 month term, the Interim Steering Committee is responsible for (1) Standing Up the Leadership Team and Community & Business Connector Team, and (2) Developing the Regional Strategy that will guide our collective impact for the next 10 years. 

The Housing Working Group aims to identify, accelerate, enhance, and promote housing opportunities across the region. The members represent government, industry, and community working collaboratively through the Western Downs' Local Housing Action Plan. 

02.2024-Final-WDRC-LHAP.pdf(PDF, 3MB)

The Employment Working Group are collaborating to reduce the percentage of a regional skills gap via a multipronged approach which would include – workforce multiskilling and upskilling, enabling employment pathways and workforce attraction and retention. 

The Education Working Group is collaborating proactively to enhance educational and life-long learning opportunities across the Western Downs region.

The Health Working Group is working collaboratively to pursue better access to healthcare in the Western Downs region. 

This group was established at a leadership program of the same name with the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation. The members are collaborating to understand, manage, and respond to the impacts and opportunities of renewable energy to ensure a community-driven transition. 

Six months after standing up our Interim Steering Committee and 5 priority working groups, we held a Working Group Forum. On the 24th September at the Dalby Events Centre we brought together 58 partners to achieve the following objectives: 

• Bring the network together to feedback information, updates and regroup.
• Each Priority Working Group presented on their progress, challenges and opportunities. 
• Commenced setting the direction of our priority areas to feed into the shared common agenda to inform our 10 year strategic plan for Western Downs Futures. 

Click here for the Summary: Summary-Working-Group-Forum-24092024.pdf(PDF, 2MB)

Register for our Working Group Forum here: 

Some of the early wins from the Western Downs Regional Futures Summit include: 

Queensland Police Service

• 18 police and ancillary staff are being recruited to the region. 

Local Housing Action Plan 

• The Department of Housing fast-tracked the Local Housing Action Plan for our region with Local Government Association of Queensland and Western Downs Regional Council, with input and support from the Western Downs Futures. 

Department of Corrective Services

• Have increased presence in the Tara region since the Futures Summit. Corrections are also working with WDRC on establishing an office and a permanent staff member in the Tara region.  

Health Workforce 

• 10 more General Practitioners are being recruited to the region. 

Local Housing Action Plan 

In partnership with the Department of Housing, Local Government Association of Queensland, and Western Downs Regional Council, the Local Housing Action Plan (LHAP) was endorsed in February 2024. Western Downs Futures will support monitoring and evaluation of the collective impact of initiatives under the LHAP through the recently established "Housing Working Group". 

Click the image below to view or download the Local Housing Action Plan:

(PDF, 3MB)

Support Finder Launch 

• Through our partners, Western Downs Futures, Western Downs Regional Council, Queensland Police Service, and Darling Downs Health have joined forces to launch an online support directory for Western Downs residents in need. The Support Finder directory, supplemented by over 5,000 cards with a QR code, was launched in Chinchilla in September 2023. 
• Check it out: SupportFinder.org.au

Skilling Queenslanders for Work 

10 jobseekers in the Tara region completed the foundational job skills training in March 2024 delivered in partnership between Tara Shire State College, Tara Neighbourhood Centre, and Western Downs Regional Council, funded by the Department of Small Business and Training. This collaboration would not have been possible without connection between community, industry, and government, forged at the inaugural Regional Futures Summit in 2023. 

Addressing Workforce Skills Gap

• The Collective Recruitment, Integration and Sustainable Placement(PDF, 2MB) (CRISP) Initiative was co-developed with the Progress Team members aimed at attracting individuals to our region, integrating them into our local community, and addressing the critical issue of workforce skill gaps in local industries. Rather than simply increasing job numbers in the region, CRISP focused on effectively filling the persistent job vacancies in the region. 
• Unfortunately, this project remains unfunded. 

(PDF, 2MB) 

Progress Team Agree to Stand Up!

• After 4 (four) full day workshop meetings in nine months, on 20 February 2024, the Progress Team reached a consensus to stand up our governance structure with an Interim Steering Committee. This committee is composed of 8 community stakeholders to work with the Program Manager and lead the broader systems change initiative through its first 12 months.

Program Manager Appointed 

• On 19 March 2024, the interview process for the Western Downs Futures Program Manager was completed and the assessment panel (Daniel Fletcher, Ken Riddiford, Geoffrey Woolcock, Belinda Walker and Louise Judge) announced that the successful candidate for the Program Manager role was Renee King. The Program Manager role is funded by Western Downs Regional Council for a 12 month term, to steer the backbone team and support developing the early-stage governance structures required to build the vision of Western Downs Futures. 
• In June 2024, the Program Manager role was approved for an additional 12 months of funding, to April 2026, thanks to the Department of State Development & Infrastructure's Regional Economic Future Fund (REFF) grant. 

• 7 members of the Progress Team were selected to attend the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation's pilot leadership program called "Shape Your Energy Future" on 5-9 February 2024.This 5 day program was designed to develop leaders from the South Burnett and Western Downs regions with skills and understanding to navigate the challenges and leverage the opportunities of the energy transition. The program had a total of 21 participants representing community, industry, and government. 
• In recognition that places are naturally complex, and that the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan's energy transformation will have an impact on all priority areas of Western Downs Futures, this Shape Your Energy Future group has been woven in as a network who are committed to ensuring our communities benefit from large-scale rapid renewable energy developments. 

Interim Steering Committee Wins

• The Interim Steering Committee developed their Terms of Reference and entered into an Auspice Agreement with Western Downs Regional Council. The Auspice Agreement was resolved by WDRC at its August 2024 Ordinary Council Meeting.
• Interim Steering Committee members developed a Communications and Community Engagement Strategy for Western Downs Futures. 
• Interim Steering Committee members attend and participate in Working Group meetings to support the development of action plans and co-designed projects.
• Western Downs Regional Council submitted a project plan to the Department of State Development & Infrastructure's Regional Economic Future Fund (REFF) program. The Interim Steering Committee supported this submission and the additional 12 months of funding for the Program Manager to April 2026. 

The magic has begun! The very first bundle of books has fluttered into the arms of newborns in Chinchilla! 

After catching wind of the Dolly Parton's Imagination Library at an Education Working Group gathering last year, the Chinchilla Community Centre jumped on board with gusto - signing up local families faster than you can say "storytime." Thanks to the generous backing of the Chinchilla RSL, little ones are now receiving their first literary treasures. 

And this is just the beginning... With continued investment, Western Downs Futures is turning the page toward a future where every family across the region can join this enchanting journey of early literacy. Stay tuned! 

Minister for Health Tim Nicholls MP and Minister Ann Leahy MP took the time to meet with Western Downs Futures in a roundtable discussion on 13 February. This conversation was a significant step towards collaborative action around health, housing, childcare, and workforce.

Holding true to our promise to bring community, industry, and government together we continue to build on our vision for the Western Downs region.