Victoria Point parking: |
but how do we get a say? |
If you regularly travel between Coochie and Victoria Point, this is one Council process you probably don’t want to discover after the decisions have been made.
Redland City Council adopted the Redlands Coast Access and Parking Strategy in June 2026. The strategy provides a citywide framework for improving access to shopping areas, recreation spaces and transport hubs, whether people arrive by car, public transport, bicycle or on foot.
That all sounds broad and relatively harmless.
The part that matters more directly to Coochie residents is what happens next.
Victoria Point Reserve is a priority
Council has identified Victoria Point Reserve as a priority for more detailed, location-specific planning.
That could eventually affect parking availability and restrictions, pick-up and drop-off areas, disability access, pedestrian connections and access to the ferry terminal.
No specific changes have been announced yet. This is the planning stage that comes before that.
And given that many island commuters already feel as though they are walking halfway to Pelican’s Nest to reach their cars, any review of parking around the ferry terminal is likely to attract plenty of interest.
So, how does the community get involved?
I first asked Council about the resident access and parking review in November 2025, after it was mentioned during a Coochie Progress public meeting.
When Victoria Point Reserve was later identified as a priority, I asked Council officer Vishesh Lochev how the broader community could become involved, whether residents could join the stakeholder list and whether there was a registration link.
The response was polite, but it did not provide a way to register.
Council advised that opportunities for broader community involvement are still being considered and that information about the project and future engagement opportunities will be shared through “appropriate channels” when available.
In other words, there is no public sign-up link yet, and we do not know what those appropriate channels will be.
That is the bit worth watching.
Why it matters now
Nothing in the strategy says island residents are about to lose parking spaces or face new restrictions.
However, once detailed planning begins, proposals can move from broad ideas to actual lines on maps surprisingly quickly.
If consultation is only advertised for a short period, people who are not actively watching Council announcements may miss their opportunity to comment.
Coochie Community Online will continue following the process and asking how ferry users and island residents can be included before any plans are settled, and I fully encourage each and every one of you to email Redland City Council and ASK to be put on the stakeholder list! (See below for the conversation flow I had with council from November to July)
If Victoria Point parking and ferry access matter to you, email editor@coochiecommunityonline.com with Parking Updates in the subject line.
Because by the time we really are walking to Pelican’s Nest, it may be a little late to ask what happened.
|
 |
3 Comments
Join the conversation
if as you say that people are already walking half way to Pelicans nest then they should perhaps catch a bus closer to their car it's only 50 cents.
richardSome people are already doing that. Most buses go hourly, and late at night, if you miss the bus, you're sleeping in your car. (True story from a young bloke who lives on the island and sometimes works late on the mainland).
Replying to my own article....if you have read this far, please contact council and ask to be included on the stakeholder list. If council says 'there is no stakeholder list at present', please keep persisting. Together we may be able to make a difference. Feel free to reply to this article and/or comment here so we know we're not alone.