Gold Coast council survey snub fires up residents digging in for beach bar battle
Opponents are gearing up for a fight over a contentious new beach bar, claiming their views were “disregarded”.
Council
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Broadbeach residents say they are stunned and ready for a fight after council snubbed a survey which showed a lack of support for the beach club during the ongoing council trial.
Apartment owner Jeff McDermid, who attended the full council meeting on Tuesday, told the Bulletin: “I was disappointed with the decision to not accept the petition. I confess that I struggled, and still do, to understand the rationale behind not accepting the petition.”
The decision by council had only heightened fears by residents living opposite the beach bar at Kurrawa that the trial will green light a permanent foreshore summer bar on their doorstep.
Mr McDermid said the 200 signatures collected in a two hour period on one day “to my simple mind represents feedback from the Gold Coast community which should not be disregarded”.
The Wildlife Preservation Society Gold Coast branch delivered the petition to area councillor Darren Taylor through a security officer before the meeting — and leader Sally Spain later branded its rejection by council as an “insult”.
Mr McDermid who has considered organising another petition from residents believes council’s decision brings into focus concerns on “the quality, extent and diligence generally of the community consultation to date”.
He said a council community engagement report on commercial activity on beaches completed in 2014 showed the majority of surveyed respondents indicated a preference for the “same” or “more” of existing permitted commercial and non-commercial activity on beaches.
The greatest response for alternative activities was for “no alternative activities’” with 44 per cent offering that position, he said.
The most popular commercial activities nominated were activities permitted under the local laws and included entertainment by bands, active lifestyle activities and volleyball.
In an email to councillors, Mr McDermid wrote: “You will see that nowhere was there any indication of a need or preference for additional commercial activities being permitted on our beaches.
“To the contrary, there were strong objections to any further commercial activities being introduced.”
But several councillors during debate at the meeting believed the environmental group’s petition, which if accepted requires officers to produce another report, would only duplicate council’s current community consultation.
Beach club operators say the venue during good weather has had a positive strong response from residents. The trial will continue for another three weeks.
Outside the meeting, Cr Tate told the Bulletin: “I think the extension of the beach trial was all about getting adequate data. We needed more data, especially people with their experiences, whether they enjoyed it or not.
“Once we have the substantial data we can make the right decision.”
‘Insult’: Why group’s shock beach bar survey was ignored
February 23: At least three quarters of residents and tourists who responded to an environmental group’s survey on the new beach bar at Broadbeach said they would not visit the Kurrawa venue.
Almost 400 people have responded to a Wildlife Preservation Society online survey with about 12 per cent of respondents either “likely” or “very likely” to attend the venue.
Less than 10 per cent of respondents thought a beach bar on the Coast was “probably needed” or “definitely needed”.
Almost 78 per cent of people who took part in the poll did not believe there was a need for the new tourist attraction. Results were emailed to all councillors.
But the bar owners maintain the venue is proving very popular in good weather.
Australian Venue Co chairman Bob East welcomed the community consultation and processes put in place by council to get feedback on potential future operating changes.
“It’s actually very popular. Most days it’s near full, except when the weather is bad,” Mr East said.
“The locals are showing us they want this. We are very happy for a proper review to be done. We think it has been well embraced by locals.”
A petition which attracted more than 200 responses, gathered in just two hours by two of the group’s volunteers, was to be presented to a full council meeting on Tuesday.
But area councillor Darren Taylor was backed by other councillors when he put forward a recommendation that the petition not be received, saying he was “comfortable” with council’s community consultation and saw no need to “double up” on the work.
Environmental leader Sally Spain, who spearheaded the petition, outside council told the Bulletin: “We want it presented. I find it extraordinary. It’s an insult to the people who sincerely signed it.”
Wildlife Preservation Society Gold Coast secretary Andrew Stimson said the group’s survey was targeted to Coast residents.
“There was one exception — the survey was also in the state WQ newsletter that went out to all branches and members. I would say overwhelmingly it was the locals who responded,” he said.
“We are not surprised by the results. We are of the opinion that residents and other stakeholders are strongly against commercialising our natural environment.”
Mr Stimson said the group believed “the business” was contrary to the Coastal Management Plan principles and local laws.
“Council approved the trial and avoided getting State Government approval by claiming it was an event, but an event does not continue for 12 weeks. If this is approved for 6 months of the year it will be the first of many and the Australian proud tradition of no commercialisation of beaches will be damaged,” he said.
Residents’ aerial surveillance of controversial new beach bar
February 22: Residents say the beach bar at Kurrawa is not attracting many tourists, takes up valuable space from surf sports events and forces them to sit in unshaded areas.
They are taking aerial photographs showing how the bar during the current trial encroaches on the beach, and continue to monitor the numbers of visitors on the ground.
But the operators strongly disagree and despite border closures and coronavirus restrictions say the Gold Coast’s newest beach attraction is being embraced by locals.
However, resident Jeff McDermid said: “I would have expected to see more southern tourists enjoying the area.
“I have had the unavoidable experience of seeing the beach bar every day and night from my apartment. From my observations, I have to say that number of patrons have been underwhelming to say the least,” he said.
Australian Venue Co chairman Bob East said he welcomed the community consultation and processes put in place by council to get feedback on potential future operating changes.
“It’s actually very popular. Most days it’s near full except when the weather is bad,” Mr East said.
“The locals are showing us they want this. We are very happy for a proper review to be done. We think it has been well embraced by locals.”
Councillors at a full council meeting on Tuesday will consider a petition calling for all beach bars to be disallowed after the current trial.
The Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland Coast branch branded the bar an “unwanted commercial precedent on our unspoilt open space beach and is in direct contradiction to council and State Coastal protection policies”.
The petition has 200 signatures and the recommendation from officers is it be received and referred to a council committee so officers can write up a report.
Broadbeach residents during the community consultation have flagged a second petition.
“The data will form part of the report back to council post March 14. I understand the operator is collating its own data through visiting patrons.’’
Mr McDermid wrote Mayor Tate and area councillor Darren Taylor saying council had justified having the beach bar trial to help activate Kurrawa Terrace, a handstand area created in the lead up to the Commonwealth Games.
Photographs show the “bleeding obvious” that the Kurrawa Terrace forms a very minor part of the public space dedicated to the Beach Bar.
“Look at the photo. Kurrawa Terrace is dwarfed by the large areas of beach and public park – importantly, those bits which contain cooling shade from trees – fenced off from the general public for the exclusive use of Beach Bar patrons,” Mr McDermid said.
The hard stand was being used for “back of house facilities” when it had been a popular focus point for families, cyclists, joggers and walkers.
Mr McDermid said he was stunned some councillors believed the investment in the Terrace had not been value for money.
A photograph showed the junior surf lifesaving beach series between Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast clubs being “cramped in a smaller area”.
“The Beach Bar does not open on Mondays. The large fenced off areas on the beach, the boardwalk and the park remain though,” Mr McDermid said.
Cr Taylor advised Mr McDermid his responses had been referred back to council officers.
“Once the trial is completed the consultation report will be presented to Full Council for review and consideration,” he wrote.
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