Brisbane Councillor Nicole Johnston: Mt Coot-tha zipline a ‘giant steaming pile of poo’

A BRISBANE City Councillor has made their thoughts on a potential zipline at Mt Coot-tha pretty clear. The Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha Master Plan, with the zipline included under the proviso “subject to approval”, was greenlighted by the Lord Mayor and Civic Cabinet during the Autumn recess.

Zipline Australia has been chosen from an expression of interest process to build the zipline, but their proposal will be subject to development approval.

A BRISBANE councillor says a proposed tourist mega zipline is a “giant steaming pile of poo” in the middle of a master plan for the city’s second biggest tourist attraction.

The Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha Master Plan, with the zipline included under the proviso “subject to approval”, was greenlighted by the Lord Mayor and Civic Cabinet during the Autumn recess.

The council’s report on community feedback said 36 written submissions were received with the top concerns transport, access, the Botanic Gardens, the ­zipline, events and entertainment, and a long-established quarry.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said he believed “very clearly” that the ­zipline would be an attraction for the city and he was not aware of anyone who “opposed it outright”.

An artist’s impression of the zipline’s tour departure and lookout. Photo: Brisbane City Council

Independent Cr Nicole Johnston (Tennyson) said the zipline was another example of the council ignoring residents.

She said members of the Friends of the Brisbane Botanic Gardens and Sherwood Aboretum were concerned about the plan for the zipline.

“They are extremely concerned about the impact of the zipline on the fundamental purpose of the Gardens. They do not support the zipline,” she said.

“Does this council listen? No it does not.”

She did praise the master plan’s proposed children’s garden and Asian Sister City Garden.

“The good things that are in this report ... are lost when you put a giant steaming pile of poo in the middle of something that was probably quite a good document to start with,” she said.

Parks, Environment and Sustainability chairman David McLachlan said he recognised the zipline was not “necessarily enthusiastically” supported by all.

He said the zipline would need to go through a development application process and residents would be able to make submissions on it.

“I understand that people will want to have their say on the zipline and they’re entitled to and should have that say. I know they will,” he said.

Residents have been campaigning against the proposed zipline in the Mt Coot-tha Botanical Gardens. Picture: AAP/Richard Walker

“But this plan was about the Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens itself and the great things that we can provide for in terms of the living collection of plants, which is the primary focus of the garden, the development of our sister city relationships, making sure we engage with visitors.”

He said about 700,000 ­people visited the gardens each year, making it Brisbane’s second most popular tourist attraction. Those numbers were expected to more than double by 2030.

He also said the plan included new way-finding signage and making sure visitor education projects were linked to the living collections.

Cr Quirk said the community had “overwhelmingly” shown “very strong” support for the zipline.

Opposition leader, Peter Cumming, repeated his previous calls for the council to produce and release an environmental-impact statement for the project.

The Mt Coot-tha quarry is not included in the masterplan.