Controversial Gold Coast cableway plan dredged up for ecotourism push

Queensland’s new state government has dredged up plans for a controversial cableway in talks with Gold Coast council about ecotourism ventures, raising concerns with conservation groups.

Minister for Environment and Tourism Andrew Powell said the talks were part of the government’s push to bulk up tourism infrastructure before the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“We’re leading up to the 2032 Olympics [and] we’ve got this golden runway, and then I hope we can embed a legacy tourism decade where people want to come to Queensland,” he said.

A cableway in a national park is not unheard of. The Kuranda Skyrail near Cairns was built in 1995 and spans World Heritage-listed rainforest.Credit: Tourism Queensland

“The cableway is exactly the type of project that we want to work with the city of the Gold Coast and other proponents around the state to deliver ... so that people, once they’re here on the Gold Coast, can enjoy just not the gold but the green up behind them.

“That’s exactly why the premier has put the environment and tourism departments together.”

A hinterland cableway has been proposed a number of times under both Labor and LNP governments – with the City of Gold Coast Council scoping out a new route to Springbrook in 2021 – but none have been cleared due to various design constraints and environmental concerns.

Queensland Conservation Council director Dave Copeman said a hinterland cableway project was not necessarily a non-starter, but that the chosen route would ultimately determine the feasibility of the proposal.

“We sometimes see these zombie projects that just keep sticking around for far too long, and they’ve been ruled out for good reasons,” Copeman said.

He added that serious environmental issues with past projects included the route’s footprint through protected parts of Springbrook National Park, particularly sections of forest more than 3000 years old.

“My encouragement to the new minister is don’t get caught up on zombie projects like the Springbrook cable car, but let’s work together to look at creative options that don’t impact the natural values we love, and that could give more people access to the places they love in a sustainable way,” Copeman said.

“That’s real ecotourism.”

Powell promised to “look at the red and green tape” that ended previous bids and examine these “roadblocks” as the ecotourism plan progresses.

He said the difference for future projects within the south-east’s national parks and natural landmarks was “a government that has a focus on nature-based tourism”.

“We’ve got beaches – we’ve got great beaches – and yes, we’ve got theme parks here on the Gold Coast and elsewhere around the state, but what people are looking for are experiences, and experiences come with nature and with eco-based tourism.”

The Gold Coast council’s ecotourism plan also includes a suite of local business support measures, nature trail maintenance in Springbrook, restoring access to the Tallebudgera Cream Track, and adding glamping facilities on South Stradbroke Island.

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