Gold Coast cableway: mayoral candidates raises safety risk across dry scrubland

Candidates have clashed over a major Gold Coast hinterland tourism project, with mayoral hopeful Mona Hecke saying it ‘doesn’t stack up’.

MAYORAL candidate Mona Hecke is not supporting a proposed cableway in the Gold Coast hinterland, raising safety concerns about gondolas riding above “dry scrub” to Springbrook.

During question time after an address to the Mudgeeraba Chamber of Commerce Ms Hecke also confirmed her opposition to Mayor Tom Tate’s pet project – an offshore cruise ship terminal (CST) at Philip Park on The Spit.

The view of the fire at Mudgeeraba from Springbrook — raising safety concerns about a cableway ride. Pic: Mike Battherham.

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Bob Janssen, a former president of the Combined Chamber of Commerce, who was involved in a CST consortium, asked Ms Hecke about her support for major tourism projects.

“Firstly, the cruise ship terminal environmentally hasn’t stacked up, and the feasibility studies reflect that. Secondly, there has been massive investment in a cruise ship terminal in Brisbane,’’ she said.

“What we need to do is to facilitate better tourism numbers to the Gold Coast and work with our Brisbane partners to bring those people to the Gold Coast.

“So I would like to see a better collaboration and communication with Brisbane so we can fast-track overnight stays, or two to three night stays on the Gold Coast.”

Mayoral candidate Mona Hecke speaking at the Mudgeeraba Chamber of Commerce breakfast.

Ms Hecke said she had the same opinion of a cableway, for which Councillor Tate in January gained backing from councillors to spend $1 million on a feasibility study to determine whether Springbrook or Tamborine Mountain would be the best location.

“With regard to hinterland tourism and a cableway, the feasibility studies have shown that doesn’t stack up,” Ms Hecke said.

“I’ve been on the cableway in Kuranda in Cairns and I tell you, it’s breathtaking, it’s beautiful. But it is a wet rainforest. Our hinterland here is dry scrub.

“For a cableway to stack up here I’d like to see a proponent put their money on the table. I don’t think it’s council’s responsibility to be paying for feasibility studies.

The Skyrail rainforest cableway crosses the Barron River near the Barron Falls at Kuranda. Picture: Brendan Radke.

“If there is someone willing to do that from the private sector, willing to put their own money into feasibility studies that show it stacks up, then I would like to see that.”

Opponents of a Springbrook proposal in 2000 raised fire safety concerns, predicting the route would be through eucalypt forest, posing a hazard for cableway passengers.

“From a safety perspective, the feasibility studies have shown that dry scrub would not be a feasible place to put a cableway because too much land would have to be cleared,” Ms Hecke said.

“And then you’d literally be in a cableway looking at flat scrub. What sort of view would that be? What sort of experience would that be for visitors?”

But Division 9 candidate Mary-Anne Hossack, in brochure handed out to chamber members, announced her support for a cableway.

Candidate Mary-Anne Hossack speaking at the Mudgeeraba Chamber of Commerce breakfast.

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“I’m for it right now from a resident point of view. I don’t have the inside information that Mona obviously is privy to, that (Councillor) Glenn (Tozer) is absolutely privy to,’’ she said.

“If this is a good idea, it’s a good idea and we should find a way to make it work. I’ve had only talk of support by locals and non-locals alike.”

Cr Tozer said councillors had resolved to undertake a study into advancing a cableway, supporting collecting information on the feasibility of the project.

“I’m neither for nor against a cableway at this time because all the information is not available,” Cr Tozer said.

“Once we have the information we can make a clear decision about whether this is a project that can achieve our objectives to drive hinterland tourism forward in an environmentally sensitive way.

Councillor Glenn Tozer giving a speech at the Mudgeeraba Chamber of Commerce.

“There are mixed feelings in the community about whether a cableway is a good idea or whether it impacts on the environment.”

Cr Tozer said investment in the project should be from commercial sources, and not the ratepayers.