Services

Trades - Innisfail is generally well served with traditional trades such as builders, plumbers etc.

Professionals - The Johnstone Shire is well served by the professions to the extent that Innisfail is now seen as a regional centre for professional services, similar to the Banks etc. Professions that are well established in the Shire include Law, Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacists, Physiotherapy, Veterinary Science, Accounting, Architecture, Engineering, Surveying, Valuing, Town Planning, Environmental Science, Agricultural and Horticultural Science, Education and Training, and Marine Sciences.

Banking Industry - All of the banks represented offer full banking facilities and electronic access through ATMs, with lending managers located in all the banks to handle any rural or residential application, large or small.

Employment

Unemployment in the Innisfail area is similar to the surrounding townships with the lowest level of unemployed persons in Innisfail in 2000 being 863 in November and the highest being 1178 in March. The employment rate is variable in this community due to the amount of seasonal work.

Transport

Public and School Transport - Two contracts were negotiated in the Johnstone Shire by Queensland Transport for the provision of school and public passenger services in and around Innisfail. Operators were assisted financially by the provision of concession fare top ups for pensioner fares, interest and direct subsidy.

Air - The Johnstone Shire Council is the owner of the Innisfail Aerodrome, with the Innisfail Aerodrome Management Committee being empowered by a Local Law for responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the Aerodrome on Council's behalf. The main services include light aircraft charter operations, an aviation school, Royal Flying Doctor Service, Air Ambulance and Government aircraft as well as general aviation.

Road - The main pressures identified for roads in the region include the need for appropriate roads infrastructure to support the high volumes of heavy freight, and passenger vehicles. The high rainfall experienced by the region also contributes to pressure on roads. The Shire has 190 kilometres of declared state roads

The Roads Implementation Program works planned for the Johnstone Shire by Main Roads include: replacement of bridges, installation of culverts, road widening and sealing, auxiliary lanes, construction of bridge and approaches, realignment of lanes, and road rehabilitation and widening. The total cost of these projects is $23,365,000. $2,327,000 is planned to be spent to June 2001, with $5,070,000 budgeted for expenditure in the financial year 2000/2001.

Building activity

The value of building activity in the Shire during the year 2000 was $10.5M which is about half of the value in the previous year. There has been an Australia wide trend of reduced building activity following the introduction of GST. Queensland figures compiled by Construction Research of Australia show a reduction in new dwelling construction by 40% in the 6 months following GST compared with the previous 6 months.

The table below summarises the building applications received by Council for the calendar year ending 31 December 2000.