Cruise ships Gold Coast: Plan to allow boutique ships enter Broadwater

Cruise ships could be docking at the Gold Coast much sooner than expected under a radical new plan.

BOUTIQUE cruise ships should be allowed to enter the Broadwater and dock at the planned Southport superyacht facilities, according to the Main Beach Progress Association (MBPA).

Council candidates will be grilled on their position on a cruise ship terminal at a meeting at the Southport Yacht Club on Monday from 6pm.

The original ASF cruise ship terminal plan for the northern end of The Spit.

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President Georgie Brown revealed her group did not support Mayor Tom Tate’s plan for an offshore CST at Philip Park on The Spit.

“In the right conditions, the seaway captains can bring them into the Broadwater,” Ms Brown said.

“The smaller expedition ships, they take anyone from 90 to 300 passengers. They can easily get into the Broadwater. They only have a draft of about four metres. The Seaway with the sand bypass system, it’s about nine metres (depth).

“The point is with the stabilisers these days on the smaller ships, they can do it.”

Ms Brown said the State Government was encouraging the bigger ships to use the new Brisbane port, opening the way for boutique cruise liners to access the Coast once the superyacht docks were created near the Southport Yacht Club.

The Spit master plan - showing a potential cruise ship terminal as proposed by Mayor Tom Tate.

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She said the other option was to dock at Doug Jennings Park at the northern end of The Spit.

The other major issue confronting The Spit was light rail but Ms Brown doubted the trams would be accessing a link line through Main Beach for several decades.

Monday’s Meet the Candidates for Division 10 will feature candidates Seema Chauhan, Rowan Panuzzo, Darren Taylor and Mike Winlaw. Mayoral Candidate Mona Hecke will also speak.

“Each candidate will be given five minutes to speak about their aims and objectives for the

Gold Coast and Main Beach. Attendees will then be given the opportunity to mix with us and

mingle to discuss their views and to listen,” Ms Brown said.

“Main Beach faces many of the community issues that concern other Gold Coast locals,

issues such as traffic management, development, and safety.

Neil Fisher of Domani's and Georgie Brown of the Main Beach Progress Association. Picture: Jerad Williams

“But Main Beach has its own identity. It is a precious and unique precinct with its location

to the beach, the Broadwater, and to the impending improvements to The Spit.

“From an economic point of view, this sets it apart from other areas on the Gold Coast. It

has the potential to offer tourists, visitors and residents a different and economically

viable perspective on our amazing lifestyle.

“We hope that a future Gold Coast City Council, including the Mayor, will consider a responsible and creative plan to ensure that the area maintains its amenity, while reviving the economy and tourism through a collaborative community consultation.”