Native title group says it will give Springbrook gondola the green light through rainforest
A native title group has given its verdict on a proposed cableway at Springbrook, which an elder says is a ‘sacred place’.
Gold Coast
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A proposed cableway at Springbrook has been given the green light by a native title group which says it will be assessing most of the cultural heritage along the route.
Negotiations between the Gold Coast City Council and Jabree Ltd director Wesley Aird have resolved a long-running dispute about which First Nations group can make major project assessments on the Gold Coast.
“The issue was proper recognition of Jabree Ltd as the authorised majority cultural heritage adviser to council, as confirmed and directed by the State Government,” Mr Aird said.
“The key issues have now been amicably resolved thanks to the positive intervention of the Mayor (Tom Tate) and Queensland’s Cultural Heritage director John Schiavo.
“Jabree has cultural heritage compliance jurisdiction over the majority of the Gold Coast and strongly supports the cableway and economic development delivered with due care and attention to genuine cultural heritage matters.”
Jabree is a local charity representing and wholly owned by the Gold Coast Native Group. Gaining First Nations support is the first step in council moving forward with the project.
Jabree produced mapping which claimed that Danggan Balun, which was undertaking assessments for the City, covered “only a minority of the Gold Coast”.
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This masthead has obtained an email sent last year to Mr Tate from Jabree stating that as cultural heritage compliance authority for most of the route, it supports a cableway.
“The Springbrook cableway represents an exciting opportunity to showcase the natural and sociocultural assets of the Gold Coast and hinterland,” Mr Aird told Mr Tate.
“Jabree strongly supports the project and looks forward to working directly with Invest Gold Coast through to project delivery.
“We understand that at this stage, rather than a preferred or single route, there is a broad project area connecting Springbrook and Mudgeeraba with room to assess various options for routes.”
This masthead understands the City, as part of cableway consultation, will continue to talk with other First Nation groups including Danggan Balun.
Mr Tate said First Nations support for a cableway has always been of paramount importance and the City had recognised this from day one.
“I welcome Jabree’s support and would assure all First Nations groups that due care and attention to cultural heritage matters will be a priority moving forward,” Mr Tate said.
“In my view, First Nations people would partner with the city in this project and provide significant input to ensure an authentic experience and a focus on the history and culture of Indigenous Australians.”
Mr Tate said he believed there was “general community support” for a cableway.
The Crisafulli Government has provided its backing subject to community and cultural heritage engagement, he added.
“Whilst we have a fantastic tourism offering already, I have always said that we must continue to develop new tourism infrastructure,” Mr Tate said.
“Of course people love the beaches, the theme parks and our fantastic accommodation and hospitality offerings but we must never rest on our laurels.”
But First Nations elder Rosalee Best, on the Facebook page of hinterland-based Glenn Tozer, said Springbrook is a “sacred place”, with the rainforest cared for across 70,000 years.
“This development has been declined by First Nations Native Title representatives because of its significant impacts on our Sacred Gondwana Land World Heritage Rainforest,” she wrote.
Mr Tozer said he believed the number of First Nations members opposed to the project was growing.
“Springbrook is a place of deep meaning to First Nations people and particularly women, who I’m told visited the area over many centuries for personal family business,” he said.
“While I expect that will be the subject of many discussions over many years, I can’t ever see the cableway idea emerging with overwhelming support from First Nations people.
“But they do support a variety of other eco-tourism ideas, which I think is very encouraging.”
Mr Tozer, as lifestyle committee chair, said there were two groups whose native title claim areas might impact the Springbrook Cableway project, but without a specific route just yet, that can be hard to comprehensively determine.
“While Jabree, as the representative of the Gold Coast Native Title Group (GCNTG), will no doubt have an important say according to the relevant legislation, there’ll be other opportunities for other members of the community to offer their feedback,” he said.
“We’ve also specifically committed to meeting with GCNTG & Jabree quarterly. What is important to remember is that it’s not just the land itself that matters, or the amount of land, but the significance of artefacts or cultural heritage on the land that must be considered.”
Mr Tozer said Springbrook residents had told him they were not excited to have patrons of a cableway perched at their windows looking into local backyards.
The challenges with power outages, water supply, and waste treatment lead most to believe the cableway is a “pipe dream” and it was better to focus on more deliverable eco-tourism ideas.
More than $50 million was proposed in those investments which included the Bower Estate at Natural Bridge, the Numinbah Escape and the newly acquired Boomerang Farm, he said.
“By focusing on streamlining legislative processes to help enable properly assessed development on private land for these operators and others like them, we can deliver an invigoration of the hinterland as a tourism hotspot,” Mr Tozer said.
SPRINGBROOK CABLEWAY DEBATE
* No proponent, valued at $170m. Gold Coast City Council has taken the lead, with $500,000 of ratepayer money being used to explore the concept, consult community and clear a pathway for a private investor.
* No route determined yet but graphics show a wide study area from Mudgeeraba to Springbrook. More recent aerial shots in council reports show landmarks such as Neranwood, about 8km west of Mudgeeraba, through to the Little Nerang Dam and Purlingbrook Falls.
* A prefeasibility study found a Springbrook cableway had the potential to attract 580,000 passengers a year, plus provide 267 construction jobs and 149 during operation. It would add $37m annually to the city’s economy.
* Council in January spent $10 million on buying Eaglemont Estate, a 63.17ha site next to the national park and potential cableway landing because it aligned with council’s nature tourism program.
* In June, the State Government outlined its ‘Destination 2045 plan’, including upgrades of day use areas in the Springbrook National Park, with Mayor Tom Tate saying he and Premier David Crisafulli were on “the same page” for eco-tourism.
* At least $17 million in funding announced under the Government’s plan would allow for a new suspension bridge across the Purling Brook causeway, a visitor centre, new car park, new toilet facilities and improvements to walking trails as well as more signage.
* A new report shows Springbrook is a biodiversity hotspot and home to the Springbrook leatherwood tree, which council lists as a priority endangered species.
* Hinterland-based councillor Glenn Tozer believes government should prioritise private investment in eco-tourism. He says the majority of Springbrook residents opposed to cableway.
* The Gecko environmental council echoes the views of Mr Tozer and also welcomed the government’s planned upgrades to Springbrook parking.
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