Somerset Regional Council Meeting Highlights – 24 March 2026

Published on 27 March 2026

Somerset Regional Council Mayor Jason Wendt with Linville State School students.

Council meeting held in Linville

Somerset Regional Council took its third community meeting on the road this week, meeting directly with Linville residents at the local community hall on Tuesday, 24 March.

Linville business owners, Linville State School students and representatives from the Linville Progress Association and Moore Soldiers Memorial Hall enjoyed a meet and mingle morning tea with Councillors and directors ahead of the meeting.

Somerset Mayor Jason Wendt said it was an election commitment for this cohort of councillors to take meetings to the community.

“These meetings are a great opportunity for elected members and directors to engage with the community one-on-one, and for residents to see Council’s decision-making process firsthand,” Cr Wendt said.

“Our region is vast and decentralised, with a significant portion of the community living outside of our major towns, just like in Linville and Moore.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to be able to visit these communities and to share some insights into Council processes.”

Council also held community council meetings in Fernvale and Kilcoy in the 2025-2026 financial year.

“It’s important for residents to know that Council meetings are open to the public and we encourage everyone to attend these meetings to see how decisions are made,” Cr Wendt said.

Somerset Deputy Mayor Helen Brieschke, Moore Soldiers Memorial Hall committee member Bob Howe and Somerset Councillor Stephanie Laycock.

Mayor Wendt fielding the hard-hitting questions from Linville State School students.

New Toogoolawah Library ready for construction

The new Toogoolawah Library and Cultural Centre is one step closer to reality with Somerset Regional Council accepting a tender for construction at its Ordinary Meeting on Tuesday, 24 March.

Council secured $3.7 million in funding from the Australian Government in late 2024 to support the project.

Somerset Mayor Jason Wendt said since then significant progress had been made and construction could now move forward.

“We have accepted a tender from Alliance Building and Construction Pty Ltd to deliver this project, and we expect works to start before the end of this financial year,” Cr Wendt said.

“The new centre will include an upgraded and larger library, rooms for visiting health professionals and facilities for Brisbane Valley Rail Trail users.

“The 311 square metre facility will be built at the southern end of Cressbrook Street, across from Alexandra Hall, and will have a 26-space carpark.

“As part of the project, the current 84 square metre Toogoolawah Library will be converted into a wellness hub with additional rooms for visiting health professionals.”

This project is jointly funded through the Australian Government’s Thriving Suburbs Program and Somerset Regional Council.

Somerset Regional Council plans to start construction of the new Toogoolawah Library and Cultural Centre before the end of the financial year.

	Somerset Regional Council has appointed Brisbane artist Jordan Bruce from Brightsiders to revitalise a disused water tank at Twin Bridges in Fernvale.

Artist appointed for Twin Bridges mural

Accomplished artist Jordan Bruce has been tasked with bringing to life a disused water tank at Twin Bridges, Fernvale with a captivating mural.

Somerset Regional Council Mayor Jason Wendt said the initiative was part of the Somerset Fish Habitat Revitalisation Project.

“The finished mural aims to enhance community awareness for fish habitat values in Somerset while raising awareness about threatened species conservation with a particular focus on the Mary River Cod,” Cr Wendt said.

Arts, Culture and Heritage Advisory Committee Chair, Councillor Sally Jess, led the panel which appointed the artist.

“Council received 33 submissions through an expression of interest process, and we were amazed by the calibre of artists who came forward,” Cr Jess said.

“The chosen artist, Jordan Bruce, is a Brisbane-based muralist and co-founder of Brightsiders. His work explores colour, texture, light and rhythm drawn from the natural world, creating large-scale public artworks that connect people to place and reflect a shared relationship with environment and community.

“There were several EOIs from Somerset artists which was rewarding to see.

“Thank you to every artist who made a submission, it was great to see so much passion on display for this project.”

The Somerset Fish Habitat Revitalisation Project is funded as part of the South East Queensland (SEQ) City Deal.

Resilient Rivers SEQ is one of 29 commitments being delivered under the SEQ City Deal, a partnership between the Australian Government, Queensland Government and Council of Mayors (SEQ).

The water tank mural is a key initiative in the Somerset Fish Habitat Revitalisation Project.

Fuel shortage necessitates careful planning for Council

Somerset Regional Council is carefully monitoring the global fuel shortage and how it will impact day-to-day council operations.

CEO Andrew Johnson said Council was not immune to the fuel shortage implications.

“The fuel shortage and rising costs are a critical concern to us, as an organisation,” Mr Johnson said.

“Council is reliant on the supply of oil, diesel and fuel to deliver its many community services including, but not limited to, road construction and maintenance.

“We’re in the same situation as most of the country in that we have limited information regarding the fuel shortage, and we are relying on the information being delivered through the media.

“Regardless, we have contingency plans in place to manage the situation as best as we can.”

Councillor Tiara Hurley said the rising costs to deliver services would impact Council’s budget considerations.

“Given the vastness of our region, our rate revenue doesn’t stretch as far as we would like,” Cr Hurley said.

“It’s a difficult balancing act to deliver effective services while also keeping the pressure off ratepayers.

“The upcoming budget will likely be one of the toughest we have faced as Councillors as inflation, rising fuel costs and the overall cost of living is weighing heavily on everyone’s minds.”

Councillor Michael Bishop said Council was seeing the impacts of the fuel supply issue and associated price rises and so too were many in the community.

“Lots of people have been speaking to Council about their concerns with the cost of living, and we understand people are very anxious at the moment,” Cr Bishop said.

“We have seen our communities come together during crises before and we urge everyone to be good neighbours and to keep living the country values we share in Somerset.”

Somerset Libraries survey identifies strengths and challenges

More than 600 Somerset Library users had their say on a community satisfaction survey with some encouraging and progressive feedback being returned.

Somerset Regional Council Arts, Culture and Heritage Advisory Committee Chair, Councillor Sally Jess, said the survey confirmed Somerset Libraries were highly valued community hubs.

“Our staff received an average performance rating of 4.8 out of 5, with more than 80% of respondents describing staff as knowledgeable, friendly and helpful, which was wonderful to hear,” Cr Jess said.

“It also indicated the need for different services across the region, with the central and northern townships serving an older population while the southern growth corridor in Lowood and Fernvale has a younger demographic profile.

“Many responses called for libraries to function as work-from-home and study hubs with quiet spaces, access to power and charging, contemporary furniture and small meeting rooms.

“The operating hours were also frequently cited as a barrier to access, particularly for working-age residents.”

Cr Jess said the feedback from the 681 users who responded to the survey would now be used to inform the development of the Somerset Libraries Strategic Plan 2026-2032.

“We would like to thank everyone for taking the time to complete the survey,” Cr Jess said.

“Your insight will be incredibly useful as we refine our library services to better serve the Somerset community.”

The survey was open for community feedback in January-February 2026.

Lodge your Council Customer Service Requests online

Somerset residents are being encouraged to submit their customer service requests online through a relatively new, easy to use, form.

Somerset Regional Council received 38 online Customer Service Requests (CSR) in February 2026, with the six-month-old system proving popular among residents.

Councillor Brett Freese said it was good to see a strong uptake of the new system.

“You can easily submit a CSR via your mobile phone, laptop or desktop, and you’re able to upload photos as well,” Cr Freese said.

“Most users are reporting waste and road or footpath issues.

“However, you can also report issues related to trees, drainage, animals or compliance.

“The new online system is a much more efficient way of lodging your service requests with Council.”

Mayor Jason Wendt encouraged more residents to lodge CSRs.

“Please let Council know if there’s something we need to address,” Cr Wendt said.

“Don’t assume that Council knows about a pothole or a fallen tree because Somerset is a vast region, and our teams can’t be everywhere all the time.

To lodge a CSR, visit somerset.qld.gov.au/CSR

Alternatively, you can contact Council on 5424 4000 or mail@somerset.qld.gov.au

Next Somerset Regional Council Meeting

Somerset Regional Council will hold its next Ordinary Council Meeting at 9am on Wednesday, 8 April 2026 in the Simeon Lord Room at Esk Library.

Council asks the community to contact Council and provide 24 hours’ notice if they plan to attend council meetings.

Meeting agendas, minutes and livestreams are available on Council’s website, visit somerset.qld.gov.au/Council-Meetings

NB: Somerset Regional Council held its Ordinary Meeting on Tuesday, 24 March 2026.