Gold Coast development: pressure builds on State Government to support Hinterland cableway

Pressure is building on the State Government to back a proposed cableway for the Gold Coast Hinterland. But there’s plenty of opinions on whether the idea should even be investigated.

PRESSURE is building on the State Government to back a proposed cableway for the Gold Coast Hinterland.

The Gold Coast Bulletin yesterday reported the Gold Coast City Council is investigating buying small parcels of land from the Government so it can build a cableway between Mudgeeraba and Springbrook.

A cableway is again on the agenda.

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Business leaders, the State Opposition and Acting Mayor Donna Gates have all backed the proposal, saying it is critical to widening the city’s attraction offerings.

Broadwater MP and opposition tourism spokesman David Crisafulli said a cableway through the national park was “part of the evolution” for all great tourism destinations.

However, Tourism Minister Kate Jones was last night noncommittal, saying she had not seen a formal proposal.

“The Mayor and I understand the Gold Coast needs to continue to invest in new tourism infrastructure,” she said.

“Of course the State Government would need to ensure that any new tourism product stacks up environmentally as well as economically.”

Gaven MP Meaghan Scanlon said the Government was “always interested” in new tourism infrastructure.

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Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate. Picture: Jerad Williams

Once the cableway was completed, the council would lease it to a private company to operate, similar to other projects including the fibre-optic cable which runs under the light rail tracks.

Mayor Tom Tate’s proposal comes three years after the $100 million Gold Coast Skyride was shelved.

An early 2000s artist impression of a possible cableway in the city’s north.

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A key backer of that project, Mermaid Beach MP Ray Stevens, was tight-lipped yesterday over the idea’s revival.

“Everyone knows I love the cableway but I have no comment to make,” he said.

This is what the Coast could look forward to if the plan comes to fruition. Picture: Keith Woods

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Mudgeeraba councillor Glenn Tozer called for a business case so the viability of a cableway could be determined.

“What I would like to see is a commercially funded business case and feasibility study provided that we can all scrutinise once and for all, without the need to sell or buy public land in Division 9,” he said.

“People are tired of thought bubbles and rumours. As far as transport goes, the community in Division 9 want us to focus on roads.”

The route and ultimate cost of the project are not known, but previous proposals have come with a price tag of $100 million.