Radioactive sand concern

MOVES by the State Government to remove a huge dune of slightly radioactive sand from Rainbow Beach may be the first step in a $100 million land swap deal.

Picture: Craig Warhurst

MOVES by the State Government to remove a huge dune of slightly radioactive sand from Rainbow Beach may be the first step in a $100 million land swap deal with developers Rainbow Shores according to the Inskip Point activist Reg Lawler.

But Mr Lawler says the removal of the ilmenite pile to make way for development may uncover a more dangerous radioactive waste, monazite.

He said the radioactive monazite left over from sand mining was buried after the closure of the processing plant more than 30 years ago and he is calling on the State Government to do a full radiation audit of the beachfront land before any decision is made on the future of the site.

Mr Lawler, who is chairman of group Citizens Helping the Inskip Peninsula (CHIP), took The Gympie Times on a tour of the area on Thursday, showing off the beauty of the site and the habitat of the rare and endangered black breasted button quail.

He also pointed out an area of beach- front land 20 metres in diameter that he says has radiation levels 30 to 40 times higher than normal background radiation levels.

“We went over the area with a Geiger counter six months ago and this place had the highest ground level reading we found,” Mr Lawler said.

“The levels of radiation aren't dangerous for people walking over the area, but it isn't suitable for permanent occupation,” he said.

Mr Lawler said he thought the area could be one of the sites where the sand mining company buried the radioactive monazite.

“Monazite contains thorium (a rare radioactive element) - the Indian government is trying to use it as a fuel for the nuclear reactors,” he said.

“If it stays underground it is not a problem, but if it is disturbed during development it could pose a risk to people living near it.”

Contractors were busy separating vegetation from the ilmenite pile this week and loading the cleaned sand into truck containers for removal.

The Inskip Point activist is happy about the removal of the ilmenite and the clean up of the site, but says the government needs to recheck the entire parcel of land for traces of radioactive material and consult with the public before any decision is made on the future of the land.

Mr Lawler said the Wayne Goss Labor Government bought the lease from developers in the early '90s to save it for the people.

He said developers at the time had plans for Rainbow Beach to grow to a city of 60,000 people, including a canal- type development near Pelican Bay and a major airport.

Now he has concerns that the Bligh led Labor Government may hand back the land to developers in the proposed land swap deal. The CHIP chairman said his group would be holding a meeting on Thursday, February 5 at 7pm in the Church of the Good Shepherd.

“The meeting is for those who oppose the Rainbow Shores development.

“We have asked some of the supporters if they would join in seeking a neutral chair for a presentation of alternate views later,” he said.

Originally published as Radioactive sand concern