Gold Coach beach politics: Council set to land on beach skydive decision
A skydive operator is preparing to quickly launch the Gold Coast's latest tourist attraction after plans were approved by council. HERE'S WHEN THE JUMPS WILL START >>>
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A CONTROVERSIAL commercial skydiving operation will be launched later this week off The Spit after councillors voted to approve the trial.
A majority of councillors at a full council meeting at the Evandale Chamber on Tuesday supported a 12-month trial, but only after they determined the foreshore would be protected and residents could access a complaint file to detail any concerns.
Councillor Peter Young, speaking on behalf of concerned community groups, questioned the officers and confirmed the public would continue to have access to the beach and the drop zone would not become an exclusive area.
Robina-based councillor Hermann Vorster who spoke strongly in favour of the heli-skydives said the new tourist attraction would not increase the number of flights across The Spit.
He predicted the service, by not venturing near nearby Main Beach, could improve the amenity for residents living nearby.
Any move by council to reject the application would send a “chilling message” to the tourism industry.
After the vote, Skydive Australia and Sea World Helicopters announced their launch would be on Friday.
Skydive Surfers Paradise would operate three days a week, Friday through Sunday, and become the only tandem heli skydiving experience operating regularly in Australia, the operators said.
CEO John O’Sullivan told the Bulletin: “Anyone who has jumped out of a helicopter will tell you that this takes skydiving to the next level and what better place to offer it but on the spectacularly beautiful Gold Coast.
“We are delighted that the Gold Coast City Council has supported our vision to deliver this wonderful new tourism product for the region with our highly experienced partners, Sea World Helicopters at a time when we are all looking at how we can help get the tourism industry back on its feet again.”
The cost for the tandem experience will be $570 with a video package available for an extra $179.00.
Mayor Tom Tate welcomed the new tourism product, adding the trial will ensure compliance including all safety aspects.
JULY 19: COUNCIL ASKED HOW PUBLIC WILL BE KEPT SAFE
The Gold Coast council has been asked to clarify how the public will be kept safe if commercial skydiving is approved on a city beach.
Council officers are recommending approval of a 12-month trial for commercial skydive drop-ins to the beach at Philip Park, but their application is reigniting community angst.
It will be decided at full council meeting on Tuesday.
“In addition to the constant noise factor, there is the issue of the use of public beaches for landing,” Gecko environment council co-ordinator Lois Levy said.
“The Spit beaches are very busy and the beach in front of Philip Park is no exception. How will the operators of this skydiving business guarantee that the landing of the tandem divers will not disrupt or even harm beach users?
“It is a nonsense to suggest that a worker from the skydiving business will go to the beach eight or more times per day to ask the beachgoers to move.”
In their report, council officers admit there is a “risk of incident between beach users and skydivers”.
Their report said the beach area attracted 790,000-960,000 visitors annually during lifeguard patrols.
Skydive Australia and Sea World Helicopters want to partner in the new tourism offering, in which one of the theme park’s existing helicopters would be modified to carry seven people including three jumpers.
The applicants estimate they would be able to do one tandem skydive flight per hour, between 9.30am and 5pm, and they needed a “drop zone” of 75 metres in length about 300m south of Philip Park’s lifeguard tower.
Ms Levy reminded councillors that the Coastal Management Plan called for public access and use of the coast to be maintained by avoiding private access to the foreshore.
She added that the operation would not support the intent of The Spit Master Plan.
“This proposal for skydiving from a helicopter must be rejected by our council as it is clearly in breach of a number of tenets and policies designed to maintain the amenity of The Spit and its beaches.”
Council’s lifestyle committee was last week told the proposal did not conflict with The Spit Master Plan.
JULY 7 - Why Gold Coast beaches are about to open to businesses
SHOULD we protect the beach north of Surfers Paradise from commercial activity? Keep the green around the pathways for cyclists and walkers, the golden sands for our feet – or open it up for business operators?
Some of the answers will be known next week.
On Tuesday councillors will vote on whether a commercial tandem skydive service can land on the beach off Philip Park.
This will be south of the lifeguard tower that fronts the car park, opposite Sea World. Eight landings per day on a “drop zone” of 75m in length.
Decades ago, Philip Park and its toilets were a kind of “drop in” zone for deviates until hard-working Federation Walk volunteers cleaned it up.
The Spit Master Plan offered two future pathways.
The recreational area could be improved with a “covered space in the park” for community events. Or there could be an offshore cruise ship terminal – Mayor Tom Tate’s pet project.
Covid-19 clarified those choices. We are all walking a lot more and cruising a lot less.
A city officer’s report to councillors recommends approving a 12-month skydiving trial. A similar service operates at Kirra in the south.
Officers summarised the positives. The project would help position the city as “an adventure sports destination”.
Some councillors will embrace this thinking. Despite Main Beach residents wanting a blanket ban on helicopter flights, a majority council vote late last year backed the existing operators.
But the officer’s report also explains how this is an area of beach considered “extremely popular” for a “large and varied customer base”.
“Data for this area over the last five years indicates annual visitor numbers range between 790,000 to 960,000 during lifeguard patrol hours,” the report says.
These visitors use the beach or the new boardwalk to walk to the Seaway, where another row is erupting about $4m of taxpayer money being spent on a ferry terminal at the Marine Stadium, known affectionately as “Bums Bay”.
This is another “commercial activity” in which community groups now fear Broadwater booze cruises will dock at arguably the city’s best and most relaxed waterfront family picnic area.
Those community leaders are now reflecting on how then State Development Minister Cameron Dick vowed in 2019 that The Spit, after 30 years of conflict, would be properly managed under a master plan ensuring “open public space to the north of Sea World would be preserved for future generations”.
Yet we have the Gold Coast Waterways Authority and the council planning hard structures – all of which community leaders say conflicts with the master plan.
Your columnist has written before about the ease of finding a car park at Philip Park at congested Main Beach on a weekend.
You can ride your bike on the pathways, kick a football or take the dog for a stroll on the beach. This is about turning your back on the Surfers Paradise skyline in the south.
All of us visiting westies spend money for lunch at the Main Beach bakery or the fish markets, on ice creams or coffee at the Seaway kiosk.
Helicopters buzzing above or booze cruises at Bums Bay were not part of our sleepy Sunday master plan.
SKYDIVING OFF THE SPIT?
COUNCIL officials are backing proposed tandem skydives off a chopper at The Spit on the Gold Coast despite noting the “risk of incident between beach users and skydivers”.
Councillors are scheduled to vote on approving a 12-month trial for the commercial skydive drop ins to the beach at Philip Park at next Tuesday’s council committee meeting.
It is reigniting community angst about commercial use of city beaches.
Council officers have recommended approval of the trial - which will add to the city’s only skydiving service at Kirra on the southern end - but admit there would be “potential for conflict with beach users”.
Officers in their comments admit the beach area attracted between 790,000 to 960,000 visitors annually during lifeguard patrols.
The Spit Master Plan had identified the adjacent park and car park area for redevelopment by 2024.
“The redevelopment of the area aims to make the area more attractive, which may increase visitor numbers and increase the risk of incident between beach users and skydivers,” the report said.
Skydive Australia and Sea World Helicopters want to partner in the new tourism offering which would see one of the theme park’s existing helicopters modified to carry seven people including three jumpers.
A report to council said: “The helicopter return journey is estimated to take 20 minutes. The applicant estimates they would be able to do one tandem skydive flight per hour, between 9:30am and 5pm.
“This is due to time required to prepare jumpers and return to prepare for the next flight. The number of flights will be determined by bookings, available landing space on the beach and weather conditions.”
Commercial helicopter services on the city’s central park sparked a major debate between councillors last September as they sorted out development of key commercial sites under The Spit Master Plan.
Many residents and community groups wanted a blanket ban but a super majority of councillors instead banned aircraft from several of the best commercial sites but not other areas.
Save Our Spit on behalf of its 3500 associated members opposed commercial “joy” flights within The Spit masterplan jurisdiction, arguing only for aircraft landing for medical services.
Under the latest proposal, there would be a “drop zone” of 75 metres in length about 300m south of Philip Park’s lifeguard tower.
“The location of the landing area may change from flight to flight but will remain within the defined drop zone area,” the council officer’s report said.
“This will allow the applicant to accommodate other beach users in the area at the time. This landing area could be secured for up to 20 minutes per flight and up to eight times per day.
“The operation of the Sea World Helicopters is subject to a current planning approval and flights are permitted between 9:30am and 5pm daily. The tandem skydiving offering is within the scope of the existing lawful use.”
Originally published as Gold Coach beach politics: Council set to land on beach skydive decision
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