Treasured Far North asset sold but Labor still committed to purchasing prized headland

A Labor election promise to buy Taylor Point is still alive with negotiations to purchase the coastal property or a “nuclear option” of compulsory acquisition still on the table, a Far North MP says.

Taylor Point, between Trinity Beach and Kewarra Beach, was originally bequeathed to the Anglican Church by the late Josephine Blessas, who wanted it used for youth work.

A Labor election promise to buy Taylor Point is still alive with negotiations to purchase the coastal property or a “nuclear option” of compulsory acquisition on the table, a Far North MP says.

But the Coalition’s candidate for Barron River, Bree James has attacked the ALP incumbent, declaring that he should have brokered a deal much sooner.

Member for Barron River Craig Crawford says the state government may yet compulsority acquire Taylor Point, located on Cairns’ northern beaches. Picture: Brendan Radke

The undeveloped 18-hectare headland, located near Trinity Beach has reportedly been sold to a mystery buyer known as the Macernis Group with details around the sale, including when the transaction occurred and cost, still unclear.

The site previously hit the market in 2021 with an asking price of $8m is now closed off to the public.

Member for Barron River Craig Crawford had sought to purchase the private property prior to the state election which has been used by bushwalkers and four-wheel drive enthusiasts for decades.

A Macernis Group representative met with Mr Crawford on Wednesday morning at Taylor Point, with the ALP still willing to broker a deal with the new owners.

“I could see that the best way to buy Taylor Point was for the (state) treasury to put the money forward as an election commitment,” he said.

“I have a commitment from the ALP. We’ll refine that … but we’re still trying to find out more about who that entity is and whether that’s someone we’ll partner with, or not.

“We still need to know more about who we’re dealing with.”

The site was previously listed for sale with an $8m price tag.

The ALP won’t be held to ransom by the new owners, Mr Crawford said, with the option of compulsorily acquiring the land still being considered.

“We do it from time-to-time, mainly for things like road and power corridors and those sorts of things. It is a tool we could use if we wanted to,” he said.

“I’ve had some pretty good conversations with the premier and the state secretary.

“We’re finalising our information at the moment … but I do have a commitment to buy Taylor Point on the table right now.”

Bree James, the LNP's Barron River candidate, with LNP environment spokesman Sam O'Connor, at Taylor Point in October 2023. Picture: Supplied

Ms James said Labor had let the community down that has campaigned for decades for Taylor Point to become a publicly-owned asset.

“He’s failed,” she said.

“I challenged him to get this done before the state election.

“We will definitely work with the landholder to see if the public can access it but this should have been done a long time ago.

“If it was my number one priority, I would have had my finger on the pulse the whole time.”

Ms James wouldn’t commit to the LNP purchasing the headland, if elected, later this month.

Mr Crawford wrote to former Environment Minister, Meaghan Scanlon in 2021 urging her to buy the land for conservation purposes but that request was denied.

“The Department of Environment has always been very clear,” he said.

“They couldn’t see the value for money from an ecological perspective.

“Their argument was that they would love to have it but for that amount of money they could buy larger stretches of land up the Cape and in the Gulf (of Carpentaria) that would service much better environmental purposes.”

The site is considered to be home to hundreds of different wildlife and plant species.

Originally published as Treasured Far North asset sold but Labor still committed to purchasing prized headland