Hands off our farm: Family pledges to stop any proposal by the state government to build a detention facility on their Mount Peter property

A proud patriarch has vowed to fight “tooth and nail” to protect his family’s cane farm – located just 20km south of Cairns’ CBD – from becoming a state government-owned youth detention centre.

A Mount Peter family says their community is the wrong site for a proposed youth detention facility.

A proud patriarch has vowed to fight “tooth and nail” to protect his family’s cane farm – located just 20km south of Cairns’ CBD – from becoming a state government-owned youth detention centre.

But Member for Mulgrave Curtis Pitt has refused to confirm whether the site, located between Edmonton and Gordonvale, is under consideration, adding it would be “inappropriate” to seek community consultation on a future facility’s location.

The family, which has asked not to be named, has owned the 74ha property based in the heart of the city’s growth corridor near Mt Peter for decades.

Hon Curtis Pitt, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Queensland Parliament Question Time, Brisbane. Photographer: Liam Kidston.

The owner said he was informed of the state’s interest in his property prior to Easter but refused to entertain the prospect of a detention facility being built on the family estate.

“I think it’s ridiculous to have it so close to the town,” he said when asked about the thought of a juvenile jail being based on his farm.

“Why don’t they put it up in the backcountry, so if prisoners get out they’ve got a long way to go to get to town?

“The town is growing and it’s starting to move closer to us out here. I want the town to move out here, not a bloody correctional centre.

“I’m told that they can’t just take it off us. They’ve got to make an agreement to buy it.

“But it’d be a sad thing if it happens.”

Concern is growing that a youth detention facility could be built between Edmonton and Gordonvale.

Following Easter, a valuer from Herron Todd White arrived unannounced at the homestead, and undertook an assessment of the farm, the family said.

“He put a price on it but it was lower than what we’ve been offered for it as real estate,” the owner said.

“I said, ‘If that’s what they’re offering, don’t worry about it.’

“It’s ridiculous. Why can’t they go to Lotus Glen and establish something there?”

Mr Pitt said multiple sites were still being considered for the youth detention centre.

“Several potential sites in the greater Cairns region are under consideration,” he said.

“The chosen site will need to meet important criteria for the effective operation of the centre and will have minimal negative effects on nearby residents and businesses.

“It would be inappropriate to identify the sites under consideration for a range of reasons, including protecting the privacy of existing owners of each site, avoiding unnecessary community scrutiny on the sites that are not selected, and preserving commercial-in-confidence negotiations over the purchase of the selected site.”

Mount Peter is a growing community, south of Cairns, with large parcels of land available for future residential developments.

The property, which features around 8ha of beautiful rainforest trails at the foot of the mountains, had previously been on the market but the elderly owner said he now has no plans to sell the farm.

“If we could subdivide it ourselves, I might not mind it but I don’t want to sell it to a developer and he subdivides and tells us to move,” he said. “I don’t want that.

“I have a strong connection to the farm and I don’t want to move.”

Mr Pitt refused to provide a timeline on when the centre would be built.

“An announcement will be made once a decision has been made,” he said.

Cairns Regional Council Division 2 councillor Matthew Tickner says he wants to know more about the city’s proposed youth detention facility. Picture: Brendan Radke

Recently elected Division 2 councillor Matthew Tickner, who campaigned against a facility being built closer to Edmonton during the local government election, said he was open to hearing more about proposed sites in the near future.

“During my campaign it was evident to me that a detention centre wasn’t wanted, nor was it suitable to be placed in the Edmonton area,” Mr Tickner said.

“At this stage, it looks as though that is no longer being considered.

“I’m all for a massive consultation period once those processes are sorted through. There are things that could be done to quell community fear.

“I’ve told Curtis Pitt’s office I’m open to having discussions with them.”

The Cleveland Youth Detention Centre on Old Common Rd, Belgian Gardens.

Cleveland Youth Detention Centre in Townsville is the closest facility to Cairns. The government-run centre houses male offenders aged 10-17, who have either been remanded in custody, or who have been sentenced to detention.

Originally published as Hands off our farm: Family pledges to stop any proposal by the state government to build a detention facility on their Mount Peter property