Hannah Myers, Moreton Bay Regional Council

Hannah Myers joined Moreton Bay Regional Council in 2019 as part of the Parks and Recreation Planning team to finalise and deliver Council’s Outdoor Recreation Plan 2019-2031. Hannah is responsible for the forward planning for the future of recreation in the Moreton Bay Region including the planning for supporting infrastructure for recreational activities including Bushwalking, Mountain Biking, Horses Riding, water sports and much more. A key objective of the work she is doing, is balancing the demand and pressure for more recreational opportunities with the environmental, conservational and cultural values of the areas where these activities typically take place.

Abstract:
In relation to physical activity in Australia, the largest growing trend is outdoor recreation. Outdoor recreation activities fall outside the scope of traditional organised sport and are typically undertaken in natural settings and require little built infrastructure. As a service provider in our community, Council has a significant role to play in providing access to these recreation opportunities and has historically invested heavily in conventional recreation facilities such as coastal pathways, swimming pools and sporting facilities, however, as new trends emerge, it is important that Council adapts its planning to meet community expectations.

Specifically, the Outdoor Recreation Plan 2019-2031 (ORP) addresses popular outdoor recreational activities such as bushwalking, mountain biking, trail horse riding and water activities. It does not address intensive motorised recreation. The purpose of the Outdoor Recreation Plan is to outline the future strategic direction and recommendations for outdoor recreation in the region and to strike a balance that integrates community expectations, financial sustainability, environmental and cultural values with the growing demand for access to natural areas for outdoor recreation purposes.