FAQs

Addressing the Shire’s Administration and Depot facility requirements (including the Library Services) is an action in the Shire’s 2020-2024 Corporate Business Plan.

Our Office Administration, Depot and Library accommodation is over capacity and the Shire is at risk of breaching its duty of care as an employer. Our current facilities mean that we are unable to cater for future growth and expansion required to support our growing population. 

The Shire engaged property and infrastructure specialists (APP), architects and workplace design consultants (Zuideveld Marchant Hur) and quantity surveyors (Rider Levett Bailey) to develop the Feasibility Report.

Yes. You can access the Feasibility Report, including the associated documents (Needs Analysis and Discussion Paper) under the “documents sections” of this webpage.

The Feasibility Report identified a range of short term options to meet the Shire’s Council and staff facility requirements.

 These options were worked through and vigorously assessed by the consultant against the criteria of workplace design, location, financial and strategic objectives.

To meet the community and Shire’s requirements until 2028, the relocation of the Mundijong Public Library to Byford Hall scored highest under a multi-criteria scoring matrix.

The current users of Byford Hall will need to be accommodated in alternative locations, including but not limited to the Serpentine Jarrahdale Community Recreation Centre and Briggs Park Pavilion. 

The Shire is committed to working with existing hirers of Byford Hall to assist them in identifying alternative facilities to continue their programming and/or activities.

The current library facility at Mundijong is overcapacity and means that it is unable to cater for future growth and expansion required to support the Shire’s growing population.

The library regularly reaches capacity for programs and events, which means they are often delivered off-site or at a reduced capacity and there is limited space available for community members or groups to meet within the building.

The Shire has operated a library service since 1972. 

From 1972 – 1992 the library operated out of the Shire Administration Building.

In 1992 the library moved to its current facility, 10 Paterson Street (the Shire’s old Road Board Office Building), as it had outgrown space available in the Shire Administration Building.

There are 4, 667 library members, representing 14% of the Shire’s population.

A breakdown of membership per Shire suburb is provided below:

• Byford 2,153 
• Serpentine 638 
• Mundijong 498 
• Jarrahdale 429 
• Cardup 238 
• Oakford 207 
• Whitby 160 
• Mardella 150 
• Darling Downs 56 
• Keysbrook 55 
• Oldbury 46 
• Karrakup 29 
• Hopeland 18

Yes. The relocation of the library to Byford presents an opportunity to consider enhancements to the library service, both within a physical premise and through outreach into the community via a mobile library service.

It is anticipated that the mobile service would have a weekly schedule that would visit the main localities of Mundijong, Serpentine and Jarrahdale. 

Locations would be chosen in consultation with the community, to complement existing gatherings and programs. 

The mobile service would also be used to provide the Books on Wheels service to residents and would also be available to attend community events.

We will engage with the community about the days, times and locations of these outreach library services.

The relocation of the library service to Byford Hall is anticipated to enable the following:

• Provide additional books and resources 
• Provide a variety of spaces that would enable more diversity and an increase in the number of programs offered to the community
• Work with community groups to use rooms and spaces within the library premises to provide complementary programs and activities
• Improved spaces and technology available for the community to use
• Improvement in the display and storage of the Shire’s community history collection
• Opportunity for the Shire’s customer service functions to be provided 
• Opportunity for inclusion of a co-working space

The Shire’s updated Community Infrastructure Development Contribution Plan (CIDCP), which will help fund the Shire’s new library and multi-purpose facility , has identified that a new facility will not be delivered until at least 2032.

The relocation of Mundijong Public Library to Byford Hall will free up 327m2 of floor space to accommodate expansion of the Shire's administration office. 

As part of the short-term options to address the Shire’s office accommodation requirements, a new “link building” is planned to connect the existing Mundijong Public Library building and the existing Administration building. 

The “Roads Board Office Building” will be retained as part of this project.