The Geography of Moreton Bay Regional Council - Term Paper Example

Title: Name: Unit: Professor: Submission Date: The Geography of Moreton Bay Regional Council Introduction: Historical Background The Moreton Bay Region was established in 2008. It was a replacement of three local government areas. The local government areas replaced were the City of Redcliffe, Pine Rivers, and Caboolture. The recommendation to merge the three areas was made by the Local Government Reform Commission through a report in 2007 (Queensland Local Government Reform Commission, 2007 p.235). The proposition was disagreed upon by the three local governments. It was not until 15th March 2008 when the City of Redcliffe and Shires of Pine Rivers ceased to exist, and the region became one area under the Moreton Bay Regional Council (Queensland Local Government, 2008 p.1). Various attempts were made in the preceding years to de-amalgamate the areas but to no avail. However, a few areas inside these three major ones that amalgamated in 2008 were de-amalgamated in 1st January/2014. This came to force through a new 2013 regulation by the local government of Queensland (Queensland Local Government, 2013 p.2) Moreton Bay Region is named after a semi-enclosed basin, Moreton Bay that is bounded by the world’s largest sand islands on the Eastern side. Moreton Bay is among the largest estuarine bays known in Australia. It is protected by oceanic swells and provides a natural habitat for wetland development. It receives and channels the flow of rivers and creeks (Division of Environmental Planning, 1999 p.2). The Geographical Location of Moreton Bay Region The Moreton Bay Region is located in South East Queensland in Australia, to the north of Brisbane, the Australian capital. Figure 1: Moreton Bay Regional Council Locality Source: Moreton Bay Regional Council Moreton Bay Regional Council is a local government area that was established in 2008. The region covers an area of approximately 2037 square kilometers. It offers diversified lifestyle opportunities provided by the bayside communities. These communities comprise the Redcliffe and Bribie Island communities to the east and the Suburban neighborhoods to the north of the Brisbane Central Business District as shown in figure 1. The region comprises of 12 divisions with diversified lifestyles. Figure 2: Moreton Bay Regional Council Divisions Source: Moreton Bay Regional Council Website. Moreton Bay Region Demographic Profile In 2014, the resident population of Moreton Bay area was estimated to be approximately 417,000 persons. This represents a 10.3% increase from approximately 378,000 persons in 2011 census. The population is the third largest local government population in Queensland. It is also the third largest in Australia after that of Brisbane and the Gold Coast. The population comprises 23.4% youth population of between 0 to 15 years. It comprises 13% of 65 years old and above (Moreton Bay Regional Council, 2014 p.2). The labor force is estimated to comprise approximately 47% of the Moreton Bay region population. The population is expected to increase to 622,276 persons in 2036 (Moreton Bay Regional Council, 2014 p.3). The region, therefore, accommodates a good number of residents and foreigners. It, therefore, needs careful planning of the resources it is endowed with. The Climate of Moreton Bay Regional Council The region is exposed to serious heat impacts due to extensive impervious surfaces. Although the region is exposed to cooling sea breezes, they cannot off-set the extreme heat effects due to the large impervious surfaces (Choy, Baum, Neumann, Crick & Harman, 2010 p.3). The Moreton Bay Regional Council is also vulnerable to medium and extremely high rainfall. It sometimes receives extremely high rainfalls that cause floods in the area. The floods occur because the region has medium adaptive capacity to extreme rainfall (Choy, Baum, Neumann, Crick & Harman, 2010 p.3). The region is also susceptible to coastal hazards. Storm surges and king tides are experienced in this region. The region is also exposed to rising see levels (Choy, Baum, Neumann, Crick & Harman, 2010 p.3). The Economic Profile of Moreton Bay Regional Council The region is comprised of various economic activities. It has diversified lifestyles, with the communities indulging in various income-generating activities. The largest economic activities in this region are industry and tourism. People also engage in businesses. The region generates a gross regional product (GRP) of about $ 12.825 billion. The region’s GRP is 9.14% of the Brisbane’s GRP which is approximately $ 140.366 billion and 0.81% of the Australia’s GRP which is approximately $ 1.584 trillion (Moreton Bay Regional Council Website, 2015). Table 1 summarizes the GRP, population and per capita income of the Moreton Bay Regional Council. Table 1: Gross Regional Product and Per Capita Income GRP Expenditure Method $M Household Consumption $16,649.209 Government Consumption $4,064.828 Private Gross Fixed Capital Expenditure $5,221.018 Gross Regional Expenses $27,088.352 plus Regional Exports $4,739.948 minus Domestic Imports -$16,131.187 minus Overseas Imports -$2,872.216 Gross Regional Product $12,824.896 Population 378,045 Per Capita GRP $33,924.26 Per Worker GRP $144,781.57 Source: http://www.economicprofile.com.au/moretonbay/Economy/Gross-Regional-Productwww.remplan.com.au Complexities Faced by Planners in Moreton Bay Regional Council Moreton Bay Regional Council is frequently faced with floods. Planners, therefore, have to take considerable care in planning to incorporate disaster management alternatives so as to be ready before this disaster strikes. The planning and designing should include the choices the communities will make in their flood recovery measures and in their future planning endeavors (Queensland Planner, 2011 p.6). Urban designers, Architects and urban planners face the difficult of designing heat-conducive and flood-safe structures. The aim is to protect the local communities residing in the urban areas from extreme heat moments and from coastal hazards. This is because the region experiences high heat events and is exposed to destructive floods during heavy rain seasons (Queensland Planner, 2011 p.8). Another complexity that planners face is the issue of time frame, the internal and external impact of community programs (Mayere, Heywood &Margerum, 2008 p.18). Some community programs that may benefit the community may take long time to implement by the implementing authorities. Other programs may be beneficial but when implemented end up causing negative impacts on the benevolent community such as pollution (Mayere, Heywood &Margerum, 2008 p.18) Proximity to coastal water is associated with various risks. The risks range from rising sea levels to tides and storm surges. The Moreton Bay Regional Council is faced with these risks due to its proximity to sea waters. Planners, therefore, have to incur extra costs to plan for disasters management techniques for the communities living close to the coastal waters (Cradduck, 2014 p. 1) The Moreton Bay Regional council area is vulnerable to extreme climate changes. The climate changes are due to the fact that the region is located near the coastal waters and as a result of increasing population in the region (Choy, Baum, Neumann, Crick & Harman, 2010 p. 2). Planners are, therefore, forced to prepare for climate change impacts. Planning has to incorporate feasible adaptation strategies to cushion the resident communities from adverse climatic effects. Population growth and economic development are intertwined. In most instances, the two are inversely related such that the higher the population growth, the lower the gross regional product (GRP) and hence the lower the economic development. The trend of population growth rate in Moreton Bay Regional Council is an increasing one. This is a challenge to planners (Next Generation Planning, 2011 p.4). The planners must ensure that the population growth matches the resource base in the region. Important Services that Could Benefit Moreton Bay Regional Council Communities The local government of Moreton Bay Regional Council area provides a range of services. The services provided include education, road and water transport, sports and recreation, information dissemination and disaster management (Moreton Bay Regional Council website, 2015). Although the local government offers almost all the necessary services, they are not sufficient and effective enough. Some services are not entirely offered while others are poorly provided. One of the important services overlooked in this region is the weather forecasting service. Being an area so close to the coastal waters and attracting diverse tourists, the area needs strong weather forecasting department. Weather forecasting will go a long way in reducing the casualties of unanticipated floods, tides, and storm surges. Consultation services are essential in ensuring successful entrepreneurial and economic development. These services are weakly developed in this region. The region needs to develop vibrant consultation department that will go a long way in promoting family planning measures, curbing security issues and promoting economic development. Culture is an essential aspect of the pioneers of any particular community. The residential, cultural practices must be remembered and celebrated in equal measure. Cultural heritage is poorly developed in Moreton Bay Regional Council. The area only contains one cultural center at Redcliffe urban center. This is not enough for the region and, therefore, other cultural centers should be established in the various divisions of the region to promote cultural heritage. Implications for Planning for Specific Objectives As discussed earlier in this report, planners face different difficulties in their planning process. However, this planning is beneficial politically, socially and economically. Controlling population growth, for instance, ensures that the resources available match the rate of population growth. This is economically viable because it enhances economic growth and development. Weather forecasting in Moreton Bay Regional Council will go a long way in reducing casualties of coastal hazards. The forecasts combined with effective information dissemination will make residential communities and foreigners aware of the times to expect a rise in sea levels, storms, and tides and thus avoid them. Effective and efficient disaster management projects, on the other hand, will help to rescue victims of unanticipated coastal hazards. This will reduce deaths caused by an unexpected rise in sea levels, storms and king tides in the region. Conclusion Moreton Bay Regional Council area is comprised of diversified lifestyles. It was established in 2008 by the amalgamation of three local government areas of Redcliffe, Shires of Pine Rivers and Caboolture. The area community at any particular time is composed of residents, visitors, and tourists. The area is located in a coastal region and, therefore, characterized by adverse climate impacts, rising sea levels, storm surges and king tides. The local government of the area offers a wide range of services. These include education, disaster management, road and water transport, information sharing, cultural services and sports and recreation. However, various services lack or need to be improved. These include consultation services, human settlement schemes, weather forecasting, coastal management and emergency management, urban planning and management and improved human health services. References Choy,D.L., Baum, S., Neumann, S.S., Crick, F., & Harman, B. 2010. Climate Change Vulnerability in South East Queensland: A Spatial and Sectoral Assessment, A report of the South East Queensland Climate Adaptation Research Initiative, 1-100. Cradduck, L. 2014. ‘Water Views’ From Cyberspace: Building Resilient Communities by Identifying Water Risks, 20th Annual Pacific-Rim Real Estate Society Conference, 1-9. Division of Environmental Planning: Environmental Protection Agency, 1999. Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands (RIS), 1-18 Mayere, S., Heywood, P. &Margerum, R.D. 2008. Governance and Effectiveness in Regional Planning: An Analysis of North American, European and Australian Practice, QUT Digital Repository: http://eprints.qut.edu.au/ 1-24, Retrieved 10/26/2015. Moreton Bay Regional Council, 2014. Moreton Bay Region Profile, 1-12. Moreton Bay Regional Council Website, 2015 https://www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/general.aspx?id=109798 Retrieved 10/26/2015 Next Generation Planning, 2011. A Handbook for Planners, Designers and Developers in South East Queensland, The Council of Mayors, State of Queensland, 1-190 Queensland Local Government, 2008. Local Government Reform Implementation Regulation, Explanatory Notes for SL 2008 No. 23, 1-33. Queensland Local Government, 2013. Local Government De-amalgamation Implementation Regulation, Queensland. Queensland Local Government Reform Commission, 2007. Report of the Local Government Reform Commission, 2, 234-239. Queensland Planner, 2011. Green Star Communities Project, Journal of the Queensland Planner, 51(2) 1-40. Website used for table 1: http://www.economicprofile.com.au/moretonbay/Economy/Gross-Regional-Productwww.remplan.com.au, Retrieved 10/26/2015 Read More