Airlie Beach foreshore deck, movie screen criticised as money-making ventures

Some would say more community facilities for a busy foreshore area can only be a good thing. So why is one group protesting the changes?

A Whitsunday community group has questioned the extent to which proposed foreshore projects will serve the public interest. Picture: Whitsunday Regional Council

A Whitsunday community group has lashed out at the council for “exploiting” prime pockets of public land for commercial returns.

The Save Our Foreshore group has called on Whitsunday Regional Council to reconsider an outdoor deck and movie screen planned for the Airlie Beach foreshore, saying the projects represent the ongoing “creep of commercialisation” onto land reserved for public recreation.

Speaking on behalf of the group at the council’s recent Cannonvale meeting, SOF’s secretary/treasurer Faye Chapman said the proposed Airlie Beach Lagoon Deck was a prime target to be taken over by foreshore retailers looking to expand their dining and shopping areas, which would only benefit private and commercial interests, and not the public.

She also called for further consultation on an outdoor movie screen proposed for another open area of the foreshore, saying the council had not taken on board community feedback including that the screen should be relocatable, and free to use.

“Council has without any doubt misled the community in its consultation process,” Ms Chapman said.

“The movie screen was described as movable – which it will not be.

“It was also described as being free to community groups when council is now looking to charge community groups.”

The deck will be installed around the fig trees near the Lagoon Plaza, and includes new disability compliant footpath connections and pedestrian ramps. Picture: Whitsunday Regional Council

The council’s development services director Neil McGaffin described Ms Chapman’s ‘commercialisation’ critique as “harsh” and conflicting with other community members’ desire to further “activate” the foreshore.

Mr McGaffin said the council “certainly wouldn’t want to do anything to take away people’s enjoyment” of the foreshore area, which he described as a “significant public asset”.

The Save Our Foreshore group describes the proposed lagoon deck’s design as ‘limited, unimaginative and uninspiring,’ and says the council should consider installing a playground at the location instead. Picture: Whitsunday Regional Council

He confirmed works had started on the lagoon deck and were expected to be completed by June or July 2022, with “good justification” needed for any changes to the adopted design.

He also confirmed a relocatable movie screen was on its way, but delivery had been delayed by issues related to the pandemic.

With regard to fees for its use, he said these would be included in a revised Land Management Plan, which would go out for consultation before being adopted.