Queensland Government urged to buy controversial northern beaches land

It has been the subject of heated debate for more than 25 years and now there are calls for the state government to finally act on a beloved parcel of Far Northern coastline.

THE state government is being urged to buy Taylor Point at Trinity Beach after the 18ha headland hit the market – again – with an asking price of $8m.

MP for Barron River, Craig Crawford, has written to Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon asking her department to buy the land for conservation purposes.

“I’d love the government to buy it,’’ Mr Crawford said.

“Every developer who has tried to develop Taylor Point has failed.

“I don’t know if the Environment Department has $8m sitting around to buy such a beautiful headland. Maybe they do, maybe they don’t.

Taylor Point, between Trinity Beach and Kewarra Beach, was originally bequeathed to the Anglican Church by the late Josephine Blessas, who wanted it used for youth work.

“But I see it as similar to the purchase of Earl Hill in 2018, where we turn it into a nature conservation area for everyone to enjoy.

“I think there is huge public support for this type of proposal.”

He said in the letter it would be ideal to secure Taylor Point given the vast amount of development occurring on the northern beaches.

The government paid $4m to developer Consolidated Properties for the 54ha Earl Hill parcel of land in 2018.

Taylor Point, which has approvals in place until 2025 for an 18-lot subdivision, was marketed a year ago by Colliers, but failed to sell. Owner John Prettejohn had spent a decade battling to develop the land.

Taylor Point has the subject of much conflict, including Planning and Environment Court battles, over 25-odd years.

It has pristine bushland, rocky outcrops and two beaches.

Proposals to turn it into a community recreational reserve have been mooted in the past but came to nothing.

The land was donated by the late Josephine Blessas, who died in 1969, to the Anglican Church.

Taylor Point between Trinity Beach and Kewarra Beach is back on the market.

“A bequest of land (some 40 acres) and buildings at Trinity Beach has been received from Mrs Blessas for youth work, and after a few working bees and camps, it is already providing a source of pleasure to Cairns Anglicans,” the Cairns Post reported at the time.

But the Anglican Church sold the land to Mr Prettejohn in 1996 for a reported $3.2m – and the battle over development began.

Cairns Regional Council division 9 Councillor Brett Olds said he believed Mr Prettejohn would be open to a land swap deal.

“Council can’t buy it, we haven’t got the budget, but the state government could do a land swap.

“It is so run down with guinea grass and hoons who dig it up with their four wheel drives and it is one of the last undeveloped headlands in Queensland.”

Originally published as Queensland Government urged to buy controversial northern beaches land