Key stakeholders in the economic development of Logan undertook a bird's eye view of the city's potential last week.
Logan Mayor, Councillor Pam Parker, and Deputy Mayor, Councillor Russell Lutton, joined Invest Logan Pty Ltd board members Cr Cherie Dalley, Cr Luke Smith, Council's Economic Development Manager David van den Brule, Economic Development Deputy Manager Nick McGuire, and Council's Development Assessment Manager Todd Rohl for the one hour helicopter flight over the city last Friday.
The group was also joined by new independent directors of Invest Logan Pty Ltd, Grant Dearlove and Ian McPherson. Invest Logan Pty Ltd was up by Council this year to provide strategic direction for the city's growth.
''It was a great opportunity for these independent directors to see Logan from the air,'' Cr Parker said.
''Logan City has changed considering in the past 18 months and these changes are only a hint of what is to come - we have started our journey and the path towards unleashing our economic development opportunities promises to be very exciting.''
Cr Parker said the helicopter tour gave all involved a greater understanding of the enormity of the job ahead. The tour canvassed key areas experiencing residential and business development in Logan City including Park Ridge, Beenleigh, Shailer Park, Logan Central, Berrinba and Springwood as well as the suburbs of Yarrabilba, Logan Village, and Flagstone which have been identified as the future growth pockets for the region.
''We left Logan Central and took in the SouthWest 1 and Berrinba area and travelled down past greater Flagstone to look at the larger development sites before continuing on to Yarrabilba and Logan Village where the future development is,'' she said.
''We actually then took in the neighbouring Yatala Industrial Estate, to see what was happening adjacent to us before heading over the Hyperdome area and Springwood.''
Cr Parker said the one hour tour proved invaluable for all involved.
''It gave us a full appreciation of the size and scope of the new city, a bird's eye view of current and future major road and rail networks, as well as appreciation of the physical beauty of our city,'' she said.
''Each director got off the helicopter and said 'wow what an opportunity this city is'.
''The lessons learned for all of us were really about the geographic magnitude of the city and the number of opportunities we have here.
''When you look at the new areas and the opportunities that exist in Park Ridge, Yarrabilba and Flagstone it really is astounding. People can say about Flagstone being the future home to 60,000 to 1000,000 people, but unless you actually get a visual of the area it is almost impossible to comprehend.''
Cr Parker said the visual comparison was vital to absorb the enormity of Logan's future.
''Logan City Council is serious about attracting businesses and investment to our city to create the 70,000 new jobs we need over the next 20 years for our current and future residents,'' she said.
''We appreciate we are competing with surrounding cities, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Ipswich and while the new Logan is only 18 months old, we are confident, with initiatives like this tour, that we will make up ground on these cities when it comes to developing a proactive economic development and investment strategy.''