Capalaba MP Don Brown calls for Birkdale whitewater venue to be ditched after WWII radio antenna to be removed

A state MP is leading calls to ditch plans for a $100 million Olympic whitewater centre in favour of a venue in NSW after it was revealed a heritage-listed World War II radio antenna will have to be dismantled to make way for the project.

The Penrith whitewater venue which has been renovated for upcoming international competitions. Picture: NSW Office of Sport

Plans to build a $100 million Olympic whitewater centre on Brisbane’s bayside have come under fire from a state government MP, who is proposing using a NSW venue instead.

Capalaba MP Don Brown called for the Birkdale Olympic venue to be scrapped hours after the state government announced the clock would start ticking on a 60-day cost analysis into all proposed Olympic projects.

Mr Brown said he would be making a submission to a bipartisan three-person review committee set up to consider whether Olympic venues would deliver value for money, were fit-for-purpose, and aligned with community expectations.

The two-month state review will determine whether the Brisbane Games venues represent the best use of taxpayer money.

The US WWII radio receiving station building has been heritage protected as well as an antenna and associated rhombic array of radio poles. The tower in this picture is not heritage listed as it was built after the war but the building is protected. Picture: Dept of Environment and Science

Mr Brown, who has previously called on the state to hold fire on constructing the whitewater venue until after the March council elections, said an Olympic whitewater venue at Penrith should be considered instead.

He made his comments after secret plans were revealed showing a heritage-listed World War II radio antenna will be removed at the site to make way for the project.

He said it was concerning that the historic 1943 radio antenna, which has four posts, would have to be pulled down to allow roads and construction works at the heritage site.

“Reviewing the Penrith site as an option could save $100 million,” he said.

“There’s nothing that says all of the Olympic venues need to be in the host state.

“We need to be exploring every single option and keeping costs to a minimum.

“The review committee could save $100 million simply by reviewing the option.

“There are also numerous sensitivities within the Birkdale location, namely the two heritage-listed sites sitting on it — the WWII radio station and Willards Farm.

“There are also environmental factors to be considered with the Birkdale site which include the koalas onsite.”

Mr Brown said he saw a koala in a tree at the site, when he was given a council-led inspection tour.

A map showing the distance from the proposed whitewater venue and other heritage sites in the area. Picture: Contributed

The Birkdale site, on Old Cleveland Rd East, was where Australia received the first message of the Japanese surrender marking the end of WWII in the Pacific and includes an original brick building which was also used as a Post Master-Generals office.

It was added to Queensland’s Heritage Register in 2020 after Redland City Council bought the land for community purposes from the federal government in 2019.

Part of the agreement with the federal government for the site included the council developing a heritage management plan and protecting the US radio station, which includes an antenna and four posts in a rhombic array.

Redland City Council said the historic diamond-shaped antenna array was east of the receiving station away from the proposed whitewater centre and would be removed to simplify construction of the precinct’s access roads.

An aerial view of the Birkdale Olympic site showing its proximity to the rhombic antenna array and the WWII radio receiving station. Picture: Redland City Council

In September, the council said contracts to build the whitewater venue had already been signed and a state government costings briefing had been compiled.

Redland councillor Paul Bishop said three of the site’s four antenna posts were at risk of being damaged during construction and would be removed and stored while the Olympic project was constructed.

He said they would later be re-erected in the same location under the guidance of an expert from the Australian Heritage Specialists contracted by the council.

“There will also be thousands of people on the site for the Olympics and to have ageing infrastructure such as this was deemed to be dangerous by the heritage expert,” he said.

“I am nervously optimistic that this process will work and be done to ensure that all the heritage elements will be managed in accordance with the current heritage standards.

“The community’s main priority for the site was always cultural, environmental and heritage protection.

“I have asked whether it will be appropriate for further community consultation in line with all the statutory requirements before any other changes are made.”

Premier Steven Miles was contacted for comment.

A government spokesman said: “This proposed venue will form part of Graham Quirk’s review and we are not going to pre-empt Mr Quirk’s findings.”