Mt Coot-tha zipline debacle peters out in court

It started with a bang, but the much-vaunted Mt Coot-tha zipline has ended with a whimper in a Brisbane courtroom.

It started with a bang, but the much-vaunted Mt Coot-tha zipline ended with a whimper in a courtroom this morning.

After more than a year of bitter community protests, $1 million of ratepayers’ money wasted on a development application (DA) and untold amounts on publicity and other costs, Brisbane City Council has formally withdrawn from an appeal launched against the zipline.

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Mt Coot-tha Protection Alliance appealed council’s in the Planning and Environment Court, spending almost $25,000 of its members’ money so far on their challenge.

But this morning council’s legal team withdrew their defence of the case.

The judge subsequently allowed the MCPA appeal, refused the DA and set aside council’s approval of its own DA.

Council must now also withdraw its Land Management Plan application, currently before the state Natural Resources Department.

Council had to apply to the State Government to allow the zipline to traverse two Deeds of Grant in Trust, land owned by the State but leased to council.

A council spokesman said the Land Management Plan would be withdrawn today.

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MCPA president Dr Peter Hale said objectors had waited until this point before celebrating, just to be sure, despite new Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner announcing the decision to drop the project on April 12.

He said a public picnic would be held at J.C. Slaughter Falls picnic area this Sunday from 10am to midday to thank supporters.

“It’s a win for the community, for all Brisbane people,’’ Dr Hale said.

“Council is maybe now starting to listen to the community.

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Cr Schrinner said last month that he had listened to residents and local councillors, insisting that protecting Mt Coot-tha was “something we can all agree on”.

“I want to make sure (Mt Coot-tha is) protected and remains a great asset for the city — that’s my priority going forward,” he said.

“I’ve made it clear that I am going to be a champion for our precious green spaces and this is proof that I’m 100 per cent serious.”

He promised to spend $700,000 in unspent money allocated for the project on upgrades to the Mt Coot-tha precinct, including improvements to picnic facilities and walking trails.

The zipline was widely believed to be former Lord Mayor Graham Quirk’s “baby’’, despite Cr Quirk claiming that he could not recall whose idea it was.