The Montville Chamber of Commerce is entering a new chapter with the appointment of Arabella Lubber as president, following the departure of long-serving leader Shiralee Cooper after 12 years in the role. The leadership transition was confirmed at the Chamber’s annual general meeting held at Flaxton Gardens on 24 September, marking what many see as a pivotal moment for the organisation that represents more than 80 local businesses across retail, hospitality, accommodation, and professional sectors.
The change comes at a significant time for Montville, which was recently named Booking.com’s “Most Welcoming Town in Australia” for 2025—an accolade that validates the town’s approach to tourism and visitor experience.
A Dozen Years of Leadership
Shiralee’s tenure has been marked by a number of community initiatives and economic development projects. Under her leadership, the Chamber spearheaded streetscape upgrades, developed new branding campaigns, and navigated the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic through co-ordinated business support programs. Shiralee reflected that her journey as President had been a most rewarding experience, noting the Chamber had been blessed with exceptional Executive Members over the years. She expressed pride in how much had been achieved together and the cohesive working relationships built over her tenure.
Key achievements during Shiralee’s presidency include the co-ordination of annual Christmas Street Festivals, advocacy for the Russell Family Park performance amphitheatre, and the successful campaign to retain the Montville Post Office in 2013. The Chamber also played a crucial role in promoting Montville through national advertising campaigns and lifestyle programmes, helping establish the town as a premier hinterland destination—culminating in this year’s “Most Welcoming Town” recognition.
New Leadership, Collaborative Vision
Arabella Lubber, owner of Montville Woods Gallery and former Chamber treasurer, brings a fresh perspective to the presidency. Shiralee described her successor as bringing exceptional commitment and boundless energy to the organisation, with Arabella’s leadership marking an exciting new chapter.
In some of her first public comments as president, Arabella emphasised collaboration and regional partnership as central to her vision. “My top three priorities for the first year of my role as President of the Montville Chamber of Commerce are to collaborate with groups across the hinterland to promote our region as a tourism destination, to encourage new businesses and experiences in the hinterland, and to support events across the hinterland that provide local residents, interstate visitors and international tourists with a reason to visit the Sunshine Coast Hinterland,” she said.
Arabella went on to say. “The measure of our success will be in the tourism numbers that visit the hinterland and the resulting economic benefit that supports the local businesses and the community.”
Strategic Planning and Major Events
Arabella’s appointment comes as Montville experiences a surge in new business activity. The past year has seen an influx of new enterprises reflecting renewed confidence in the town’s commercial prospects.
The new leadership will undertake a strategic review in early 2026. “We have our first Executive Committee meeting with the new team towards the end of October. In this meeting we are opening discussions for the next review of the Montville Chamber of Commerce Strategic Plan that is due in February 2026,” Arabella explained.
The Chamber is already planning new tourism activations over the next six months in conjunction with Visit Sunshine Coast and Sunshine Coast Council, though details are yet to be finalised. Arabella emphasised the Chamber’s commitment to regional collaboration: “The Montville Chamber of Commerce will be collaborating with our neighbouring Chambers, Hinterland Tourism Sunshine Coast and Visit Sunshine Coast to promote our area of natural beauty and surrounding villages and businesses.”
Supporting Regional Events
The Chamber continues its strong support for hinterland cultural and tourism events. “The Montville Chamber of Commerce welcomes all of the hinterland events including The Rangebow Festival, Sculpture on the Edge, Montville’s Christmas Market, Hinterland Writer’s Festival, Curated Plate, Blackall 100, Open Studios and Artifest to name a few,” Arabella said, adding that exciting new events are planned for 2026 to enhance the artisan village experience.
In a practical demonstration of regional cooperation, the Chamber is co-hosting a workshop on 15 October at The Edge, Montville, organised by Sunshine Coast Council’s Tourism and Major Events Team on “How to Profit from Major Events.” The workshop is open to members from Montville, Maleny and Nambour Chambers, encouraging cross-hinterland collaboration for future events.
Navigating Challenges
However, the Chamber’s new leadership takes over amid evolving market dynamics. While some observers have raised questions about balancing the artisan village identity with the diverse business mix in town, Arabella sees the branding as a key strength. “The artisan village branding is a strong draw card for tourists looking for Australian handmade products,” she explains, noting that while not every business fits the artisan category, the broader hinterland supports a thriving artisan community.
The relationship with nearby Maleny presents opportunities for collaboration rather than competition. “Tourists that visit Maleny invariably visit Montville too, and vice versa,” Arabella observes. While Maleny has a larger local spend base, this reflects population differences—Montville’s small resident population means tourism is essential for village sustainability.
The Chamber has also faced the broader challenge of balancing tourism promotion with maintaining the town’s authentic character—a tension common to many successful tourist destinations. Cost-of-living pressures affecting consumer spending remain a concern across the retail sector, while some business owners point to underutilised community facilities as areas needing attention.
Executive Changes
Most of the Chamber’s executive team will continue in their roles, providing continuity during the leadership transition. Wayne Parcell from The Rangebow Festival, has joined the team, bringing stronger links to the region’s creative sector.
This shift toward greater arts engagement aligns with the Chamber’s historical support for cultural initiatives, including the “Sculpture on the Edge” exhibitions and various artisan showcases that have become drawcards for visitors.
Montville in Context
Montville’s Chamber operates within a collaborative hinterland landscape. The “Most Welcoming Town” award provides significant validation of the town’s visitor experience approach. Eumundi Markets alone attract 1.6 million visitors annually, whilst the broader Sunshine Coast region recorded approximately 1.04 million overnight holiday visitors for the year ending March 2025, with a significant portion visiting Blackall Range towns including Montville, Maleny, and Mapleton.
With approximately 80 members, the Chamber is notably smaller than Maleny Commerce, which boasts a larger membership base. However, this reflects different town demographics and business compositions rather than competitive positioning. The hinterland towns generally benefit from their proximity, with visitors often touring multiple villages on scenic drive routes.
The artisan village branding that has become central to Montville’s identity creates a distinctive market position, differentiating the town through its focus on Australian handmade products and boutique visitor experiences. This specialisation attracts visitors specifically seeking artisan goods and craft experiences—a niche that complements rather than competes with neighbouring towns’ different offerings.
The regional dynamics emphasise collaboration over competition. The towns cooperate on regional promotion and infrastructure advocacy, recognising that joint marketing efforts and the popularity of scenic drive routes create mutual benefits across the hinterland.
Olympic Opportunities and Strategic Vision
Looking ahead, the Chamber is positioning itself to leverage Queensland’s tourism future. Arabella highlighted the Queensland Government’s Destination 2045 Plan, which aims to position the state as a global tourism leader. “We are excited about the Queensland Government’s Destination 2045 Plan (https://destination2045.detsi.qld.gov.au/) that will position our state as a global leader in tourism, supporting richer visitor experiences, more jobs and better infrastructure,” she said.
The lead-up to Brisbane 2032 presents both opportunities and challenges for Montville’s future development. The Games are expected to bring an $8.1 billion economic boost to Queensland, with potential flow-on effects for hinterland tourism as international and national visitors extend their stays to explore the region’s cultural attractions.
These issues will be addressed in the Chamber’s upcoming strategic review. “This review will include a number of items related to Strategic Direction and Scale and the Olympics,” Arabella confirmed.
However, concerns remain about whether Olympic-related infrastructure investment will benefit regional towns or concentrate on urban hubs. The Chamber will need to actively pursue inclusion in Olympic tourism itineraries whilst managing community expectations about infrastructure promises and advocating for fair regional investment in the Games’ legacy planning.
Community Partnership
The Chamber’s relationship with the Montville Village Association remains collaborative, with both organisations working together on streetscape improvements, community events, and promotional activities. This partnership has been crucial in maintaining the balance between commercial development and community needs.
As Arabella assumes the presidency, she inherits an organisation with a solid foundation but also faces the challenge of navigating an increasingly competitive tourism market whilst addressing local concerns about authenticity and community character.
The success of her leadership will likely be measured not just in visitor numbers and new business openings, but in how well the Chamber can maintain Montville’s unique identity—validated by the “Most Welcoming Town” award—whilst ensuring its commercial sustainability and extending benefits throughout the year.
With over 140 years of history behind it, Montville continues to evolve. The Chamber’s new leadership represents both continuity and change—building on past successes whilst adapting to contemporary challenges in one of the Sunshine Coast’s most distinctive hinterland communities.