Brisbane City Council slammed over Mt Coot-tha zipline approval

A controversial zipline through Mt Coot-tha has been given the final go ahead by Brisbane City Council despite scathing opposition.

OPPOSITION groups have slammed Brisbane City Council’s decision to approve the Mt Coot-tha zipline, insisting the State Government still has the power to scrap the project.

The Courier-Mail revealed overnight that the council’s planning team had given the tourist venture the final go ahead, despite the project attracting thousands of submissions in opposition.

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Of the more than 3,600 submissions made to the council in relation to the project, nearly 90 per cent opposed it — dwarfing the 400 residents who supported it.

Labor’s environment spokesman Cr Steve Griffiths today said the LNP administration has misled the community by claiming that the project will proceed.

He said Natural Resources Minister Anthony Lynham could still block the project because the land at Mt Coot-tha was held in trust.

“When it was donated to the State Government, it was put aside for conservation purposes, recreational and not for profit use,” he said.

“We believe they are grounds for the project to be scrapped and we’re waiting on the State Government to make that decision.

“The Lord Mayor is really misleading people by saying it’s got approval. It’s only been approved at a council level.”

A projection of the views from the Mt Coot-tha zipline. Construction is expected to start within months.

Greens Councillor Jonathan Sri has also called on the State Government to step in to stop the zipline, accusing the LNP of failing to listen to residents.

“This is not environmentally responsible ecotourism,” he said.

“This project involves the degradation and privatisation of ecologically sensitive publicly owned bushland.”

A community rally opposing the zipline is expected to be held on Tuesday.

The project was approved by the planning unit yesterday. It was first lodged by the council last September.

The potential impact on animals and vegetation through the construction and operation of the zipline was among the key issues raised by residents during the assessment process.

Concerns were also raised about heritage impacts, but the LNP administration claims all problems raised about the project were addressed in the planning team’s decision notice.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk talked up the project yesterday, saying it would attract about 350,000 visitors every year and generate more than 100 new jobs.

Those opposed to the zipline worried it would ruin the Mt Coot-tha forest with noise, an influx of traffic and land clearing. Picture: AAP/Josh Woning

“It has been conservatively estimated around 11,000 to 15,000 people will spend an additional hour in the Mt Coot-tha precinct with the increased amenity associated with the zipline,” he said.

Mayor Graham Quirk has talked up the project. Picture: Tara Croser

Construction will begin within months, with the 1.5km treetop canopy tour to open by the end of this year.

A skywalk, including a 335m suspension bridge and the fast-paced 1km zipline from Mt Coot-tha’s summit to the Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens, will open in 2020.

Cr Quirk said council’s assessment that the zipline infrastructure did not necessitate any significant clearing of native vegetation for firebreaks and safety buffers was backed by the Queensland Government’s State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA).

“We’re planting more than 1700 new trees and ensuring no corridor clearing, while carefully planning to protect owl and koala populations,” he said.

SARA also approved the project last December.

Labor councillors had previously criticised the project’s approval process, saying the council should not have been allowed to assess its own development application.

They wanted the zipline to be assessed independently, worried that there could be a perceived conflict of interest.