PLANS for a major upgrade of sporting facilities at the Long Road Sports Precinct continue to gather dust, leaving members of the Tamborine Mountain Sports Association (TMSA) increasingly frustrated and questioning whether their long-held vision will ever come to fruition.
After nearly a decade of discussions with Scenic Rim Regional Council, the TMSA says its seven-stage master plan to modernise the area’s primary sports and community hub appears to be “absent from council’s strategic thinking.”
TMSA President Mick Angus said a recent $1 million pledge from the new state government – announced prior to the most recent election – was greatly appreciated, but ultimately insufficient to progress their ambitious vision for the precinct.
“It will help us start the first stage, but it doesn’t move us very far forward,” Mr Angus said.
“These aren’t just pie-in-the-sky dreams—they’re architecturally designed, almost shovel-ready plans that would transform the Long Road Sports Precinct, with a modern indoor hall and new clubrooms as centrepieces. They’re designed to relieve the financial burden on council and community, not add to it”
“Currently there are no clubrooms for any sports across the mountain. And basketball, despite being one of the largest member sports on the mountain, has no facility at all”
On a more hopeful note, the TMSA recently submitted a major application for around $5 million in funding through the Federal Government’s Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program. The grant application was supported by all three levels of government and 29 local organisations with a decision expected in the coming months.
If successful, the funds would support detailed planning, technical drawings, and cost assessments, as well as delivering on some of the earlier stages of the TMSA’s master plan.
To their credit, Scenic Rim Regional Council has not been idle when it comes to broader sports infrastructure. The council called for public input to develop a Draft Sport and Recreation Plan for 2024–2034, receiving more than 160 submissions in April 2024.
“We know our affiliated clubs pushed hard to prioritise the Long Road Sports Precinct in their submissions,” Mr Angus said.
“Our own submission reinforced that this site is more than just a sports field for kids. It’s home to 11 clubs with over 1,000 regular users, and if fully realised, our master plan would turn it into a regional, national, and even international sporting destination—especially relevant as we approach the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.
“The precinct has the potential to become a major community venue, bringing significant economic and community sporting benefits to the local and regional communities,” he added.
“It would also serve as a critical natural disaster response and recovery hub – and the only cyclone rated indoor facility in the region. Recent events like the cyclone and tornado highlighted just how vulnerable we are.”
Council Funds Still Needed
While the TMSA awaits larger funding outcomes, there’s still a pressing need to maintain existing, substandard facilities. For this, the association has been relying heavily on community goodwill, volunteer labour, and contributions from local clubs.
“As leaseholders, we’re solely responsible for maintenance and co-ordination of the site. We need an annual commitment of at least $200,000 from council to avoid falling further behind or increasing the burden on members.” Mr Angus said.
“Unlike other clubs in the region, we have no rooms or revenue-generating infrastructure. And we’re not advocating for just one club – we’re looking out for many.”
Beyond sport, the precinct is used by schools, community groups, and even international film companies – generating significant local economic activity.
“It’s a council-owned asset, yet we bear the full financial responsibility. That has to change,” he said.
While Scenic Rim Council did provide funding a couple of years ago for remedial works, Mr Angus said the support “was greatly appreciated but barely scratched the surface. And needs to be ongoing”
“We pay rates to the council to maintain assets on our behalf, then pay again through volunteer hours and sporting fees to maintain them as a community,” he said.
“We’ve done the initial strategic work and planning and pulled together some of the budget. It’s now time the council committed to make a co-contribution.”
“Volunteer groups simply can’t maintain facilities of this scale on their own without resources. Council can’t keep ignoring it, because the problem isn’t going away—it’s getting worse, and the costs are rising.”
Here is a video summary of the Long Road Precinct
