History of the Booral Community Association Inc.
The Booral Community Association was conceived in Jan 2003 with a public meeting called in Feb 2003 to form a committee and to name the proposed association. The meeting was held in the Rural Fire Brigade’s shed in Oslove Drive East Booral with over fifty residents attending. The association was incorporated in July 2003. John Wilson, Co-founder of the (BCA) with his wife Rhonda, saw that Booral had been forgotten by council and left behind other Hervey Bay suburbs with numerous residents agreeing.
In the first year of incorporation, the (BCA) attracted 140 registered and financial members, and was contacted regularly by a further 30 plus residents who, for whatever reason, couldn’t or didn’t want to attend meetings.
The first edition of the newsletter, “The Booral Bulletin” was produced in December 2003 and publication was funded through the acquisition of sponsors. Delivery of the newsletter was via an old “Postie Bike” and took over 4 1/2 hours to deliver to 500 homes throughout Booral. A grant was received from the Federal Government’s “Volunteer’s Small Equipment Grant” to purchase a photocopier in July 2004 which allowed the association to print its own newsletter, flyers and letters.
BBQ’s and raffles were held bi-monthly from 2004 to 2007. With jumping castles and the Apex Train adding to the attractions on the day. The (BCA) was instrumental in achieving many goals in the initial three years of operation including several road upgrades:
- Removal of the River Heads Road dippers, the intersection of River Heads and Booral Roads upgrade, the intersection at Janine & Booral Road upgrade, the upgrade and widening of Bingham Road West Booral, the widening of Maddever Road and lowering of the speed limit to 60 kph on the residential roads in East Booral and The bitumen sealing of the southern end of Mathiesen Road.
- Other achievements include the building of the tourist map and notice board shelter on Maddever Road, naming and having signage installed at all of the parks in Booral and in consultation with council, the purchase of the 80 acres of land for wildlife in Mathiesen Road and the 40 acres in Allerton Road, East Booral.