First look at the Concept Design

After more than 12 months of community consultation and celebrating the culture and history of the Jandowae area, the fence design for Central Park is now available for viewing.

Collaboration between Western Downs Regional Council and Dalby State High School students has informed a concept design that considered feedback from the community and features images, local industries and the origins of the town's name.

The importance of acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land is celebrated in the fence's imagery, which features modern, historical and traditional versions of the name 'Jandowae'. Jindowie reflects the original name of the town, from the local Aboriginal word for a waterhole. Jondowaie is the name some early settlers to the region used, named after settler John Dowaie, who established the John Dowaie camp. With the arrival of the railway to the region in 1914, the current spelling was adopted, possibly to avoid confusion with Jondaryan.

Accompanying the fence panels will be the installation of interpretive signs to share with locals and visitors to the park, which will showcase the story behind the town's proud name.

Below are the designs for each fence panel depicting the history of the region, which showcase the vibrant community of Jandowae including the town's strong connection to the timber and agriculture industries, the railway and the dingo fence.

Council's commitment to connecting our parks and open spaces with the community is at the forefront of sharing Jandowae's community and history through this fence design.

Western Downs residents are encouraged to provide feedback on the fence design. We hope the elements portrayed are a true reflection of the community's history and spirit.

Jandowae's Central Park is an important meeting place for the town and its prime position on High Street allows the fence to reflect the spirit of Jandowae's active and vibrant community.

With recent improvements to the park, including the Timbertown Tree, we think the fence deserves a creative and functional upgrade.

Western Downs Regional Council and Dalby State High School (DSHS) have teamed up to reimagine 30m of corten steel panels from simple fencing to a functional artwork. The design of the panels has been formulated based on feedback from the Jandowae community, and local schools.

Based on community feedback from previous rounds of engagement (and with the help of Council's Parks and Open Spaces team), DSHS students have had the opportunity to help inform the design of the fence panels, leaving a lasting legacy through real-world learning and community connection.

The fence panels offer a unique opportunity to tell the story of Jandowae through images, symbols and artwork: its rich history, vibrant and active communities and bright future. As residents of Jandowae, we want you to help tell this story.

As a part of our recent Parks and Placemaking Strategies engagement, we've heard from the community about what makes Jandowae great. The Jandowae community shared the following concepts, inspiration and ideas to guide the fence design:

• Our 'Timber Town': our connection to timber sawmilling and how we celebrate through the Timbertown Festival
• Our country town feel: our rural community spirit and support networks, healthy lifestyle and peace and quiet
• Our local history and heritage: Trumpets Corner, Athlone Cottage, Jandowae Memorial Hall and Jandowae Light Horse Unit (and our modern enjoyment of horse-related sports)
• Our local industries: farming (crop and cattle) and rail
• Our team pride: sporting groups and sporting facilities
• Our iconic local landmarks: the Wild Dog Barrier Fence, Dingo Sculpture and Rotary Park
• Our people: local community groups, businesses and clubs

After gathering input from the Jandowae community regarding the new Jandowae Central Park fence in 2024, Council presented the survey results to Dalby State High School students. Taking into account valuable community feedback, the students were provided with an opportunity to brainstorm design concepts for the fence and successfully generated some exceptional ideas. See the students' creative concepts below.