About CHDC

Central Highlands Development Corporation (CHDC) is the lead economic and tourism development agency for the Central Highlands in Queensland, Australia.

We’re a not-for-profit organisation that advocates for a sustainable region and economic growth by:

Enhancing the region’s workforce
Promoting the Central Highlands as a ‘region of choice’
Supporting our region’s businesses

For more than 25 years, CHDC has partnered with industry, business, government and communities to drive growth and empower businesses.

Our rich understanding of the local economic landscape has allowed us to deliver insights and strategic action plans for the region.

In turn, this has contributed to building strong, capable businesses and industries that are supply-chain ready and optimised for expansion.

2023-2028

CORPORATE STRATEGY

CHDC has a three-year vision to drive economic opportunities to support the Central Highlands as a dynamic region of choice.

Our Corporate Strategy 2023-2028 defines CHDC’s purpose and values, and identifies seven priorities and objectives, including business growth, workforce development, and advocacy and promotion.

This important document maps out a clear direction forward for CHDC and underpins all the work we do in our role as the region’s key economic and tourism development organisation.

Our Team

CHDC’s dedicated staff members are committed to facilitating a wide range of projects and initiatives across the Central Highlands and providing relevant advice, statistical information, workshops and networks to support business, industry, government and community.

Staff

PETER DOWLING
CEO

Peter’s an experienced senior leader in regional development and community relations.

He has worked across urban, regional and rural settings for private, public and not-for-profit organisations. People, communities and regions are very important to Peter.

ASHLEIGH VANN
BUSINESS FACILITATION

Ashleigh's a long-time local and former small business operator who's dedicated to fostering growth and collaboration within our region's business community.

Whether it's through events, networking, or one-on-one chats, Ashleigh has a knack for bringing people together and making meaningful connections.

She's a proud parent to two amazing teenagers and finds joy in family adventures and hitting the gym.

KYLIE HAWKINS
EVENTS AND BOARD

Born with a natural flair for organisation and an unbridled enthusiasm for creating seamless events, Kylie has become a go-to professional in the events industry.

She also specialises in board coordination.

Her proficiency in coordinating and documenting Board meetings, drafting agendas, and ensuring compliance with governance protocols has positioned her as a trusted resource in the corporate world.

JESSAMINE DAVISON
AG DEVELOPMENT

Jess is a highly motivated, solutions-focused professional with a core value that fuels her drive for growth through innovative vision and creativity.

She has called Emerald home for almost 20 years, working and volunteering across the agriculture industry in different capacities, including but not limited to farm workplace health and safety, business management, organisational governance, project management, event facilitation and system development.

ROGER JOHN
VISITOR ECONOMY

Roger is an experienced tourism, events, and marketing coordinator, with a background in regional development, vocational education, and event management.

Originally from the UK, he has travelled extensively and values the freedom that the Central Queensland Highlands has to offer.

DEB BARNS
REGIONAL DEV.

Marketing and real estate professional Deb, a dedicated parent of two, relocated to the Central Highlands for family reasons.

Committed to community growth, she collaborates with various stakeholders to uplift the region, fostering strategic investments.

Passionate about connecting with others, Deb supports industry professionals, innovators, and entrepreneurs in building a prosperous future for the Central Highlands community.

KELLY CORBISHLEY
FINANCE AND HR

With over 25 years’ experience in admin, Kelly’s experience and best practices were strengthened serving Education QLD.

Kelly is extremely passionate about yoga and mindfulness, spending her free time teaching to create community and connections as well as discovering all things yoga!

Other interests include time away at the beach with her husband Michael and cattle dog Red.

ROWENA DAVIES
PROJECTS

A proud Clermont native, Rowena channels her passion for the region into her role at CHDC, creating impactful, research-driven collateral.

She holds a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) and has worked across the finance, education, and social enterprise sectors.

SHARON ALEXANDER
ADMINISTRATION

Sharon is a versatile administration officer with extensive experience gained across multiple industries.

She brings to this role her strong organisational skills, ability to foster relationships and enthusiasm for supporting initiatives that benefit the community.

Sharon has lived in the region for over 20 years and continues to enjoy raising her family in the Emerald community.

NICKY FISHER
COMMUNICATIONS

Nicky clocked more than 15 years' experience as a journalist, mainly in radio, before joining CHDC when she moved to Emerald in 2013.

The mum-of-two now mostly works from her home in QLD's far north but her heart and mind remain in the Central Highlands, with a passion for spreading the word about CHDC's many projects and events.

PAMELA GANGADOO
VISITOR CENTRE

Born and raised in Mauritius, Pamela worked in various administration and financial roles before moving to Australia with her husband and two daughters in 2007.

The fluent French, Creole and English speaker holds qualifications in Practice Management and Sales and Marketing Management.

Volunteering at the Visitor Information Centre led to Pamela discovering a passion for welcoming tourists and she has been in her current role since 2019.

CAROL FERGUSON

Carol has volunteered at the Visitor Information Centre (VIC) since it opened in 1991 and has also donated her time to the QCWA for 26 years and Lifeline for 10 years.

The former merchandiser has seen many changes in Emerald since moving here from Victoria in 1976.

She's met many lovely people while working at the VIC and recommends volunteering for anyone with a bit of spare time.

BARRY RUMPF

After working on the land and in the coal industry, and being involved in underground mine rescues and the SES for many years, Barry says it's a satisfying experience volunteering at the Visitor Information Centre in Emerald, meeting and talking to different people travelling through the region.

GLEN WASS

Glen is a volunteer at the Visitor Information Centre in Emerald.

JEANETTE WASS

Jeanette is a volunteer at the Visitor Information Centre in Emerald.

JEAN BOURNE

Jean is a volunteer at the Visitor Information Centre in Emerald.

GEORGE BOURNE

George is a volunteer at the Visitor Information Centre in Emerald.

DELMA WINTEN

Delma spent 40 years on a cattle property at Alpha, just west of the Central Highlands, before relocating to Emerald in 2007.

Since then, Delma and her husband have travelled extensively in their van.

Delma enjoys working voluntarily in the community and particularly enjoys her time at the Visitor Information Centre meeting the travelling public.

ELIZABETH WRIGHT

Elizabeth is a volunteer at the Visitor Information Centre in Emerald.

SHARYN HEISKARI

Sharyn has lived in Emerald for 40 years and she and her husband have raised three daughters.

Sharyn spends a lot of time with her now-grown children and their families, who still live in Emerald, and she also enjoys running and walking the many trails in the area – Emerald Botanical Gardens being her favourite spot.

Sharyn loves to share her local knowledge with tourists in her volunteer role at the Visitor Information Centre.

BOARD

COUNCILLOR
GAI SYPHER

Cr Sypher is currently serving her fourth term on the CHRC. She holds degrees in sociological welfare, Aboriginal studies, management, and human resources, and has 18 years of senior leadership experience at CQUniversity.

COUNCILLOR
RACHAEL CRUWYS

Cr Cruwys, Deputy Mayor of CHRC and lifelong Capella resident, has deep roots in the cattle industry. A Winston Churchill Fellow for Braham cattle genetics research, she remains active in commercial and stud cattle operations. Cr Cruwys also brings experience in local government, corporate services, and finance.

COUNCILLOR
KAREN NEWMAN

Cr Newman brings extensive local government experience, with a focus on community engagement and strategic planning. She also runs a consultancy business and is actively involved in several professional associations and local groups.

CIARÁN HALLINAN

Mr Hallinan is an experienced senior executive and company director with qualifications in engineering and business.

He brings a strong track record of success across both public and private sector organisations, with expertise in energy, resources, and infrastructure.

GREG CHRISTENSEN

Mr Christensen is a seasoned Chair, Director, and Executive with 30 years' experience delivering success across diverse sectors including government, regional government, agribusiness, and manufacturing.

As a passionate believer in regional Australia, Greg has focussed his boutique process improvement and executive coaching business, StepUpQ, towards the regions.

Greg holds an MBA in International Management, accreditations in coaching and mentoring, and is a certified Advisory Board Chair.

LAURA LETTS

Laura is an experienced senior lawyer and governance professional. She has extensive experience in the resources and energy sectors, with particular interest in the energy transition. Laura is passionate about helping regional communities benefit from the resource industry.

Laura works for AGL, residing on the Sunshine Coast with her husband and young family.

PETER DOWLING

Peter’s an experienced senior leader in regional development and community relations. He has worked across urban, regional and rural settings for private, public and not-for-profit organisations. People, communities and regions are very important to Peter.

COUNCILLOR
JOSEPH BURNS

Cr Burns has called the Central Highlands home for 38 years. Alongside his wife, he owns and operates a small business in Emerald. With extensive experience in supervisory and training roles across the mining, agricultural and manufacturing industries, Cr Burns also pursued studies in law.

Thank you

Our Partners

Collaboration is what makes CHDC’s projects and events possible. We thank our 2024 Partners for their generous support!

Partner with us

Career opportunities

JOIN OUR TEAM

There are currently no vacancies at CHDC but for career opportunities in the Central Highlands, tap the blue button to check out our free and local job search site.

JOBS HUB CENTRAL QUEENSLAND HIGHLANDS

In the heart of Central Queensland

OUR REGION

The Central Highlands is a robust and diverse region situated at the heart of Australia’s resource and agricultural sectors.

Spanning almost 60,000km2, the region encompasses a significant portion of the Bowen Basin, Australia’s largest coal reserve, and is home to eight metallurgical and four thermal mines.

With the largest cattle inventory in Australia, the Central Highlands stands as a beef powerhouse. It is also characterised by thriving broadacre cropping and horticultural industries, sustained by irrigation sourced from water storage on the Nogoa and Comet Rivers

Our region is a three-hour drive west of Rockhampton and a 1.5-hour flight from Brisbane, and includes the communities of Arcadia Valley, Bauhinia, Blackwater, Bluff, Capella, Comet, Dingo, Duaringa, Emerald, Rolleston, Sapphire Gemfields, Springsure and Tieri.

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