Gold Coast business leaders back revival of controversial Cableway to Hinterland to boost tourism

A $100 million cableway to the Gold Coast Hinterland has gained backers who say the controversial project must be approved by the State Government. But what do leading business players think of capitalising on the Coast’s new world-wide fame by expanding it’s tourism offerings?

A $100 million cableway into the Hinterland should be revived and approved by the State Government as part of a post-Games push to bulk up the Gold Coast’s tourism offerings.

That’s the push from business leaders who say the city must revitalise its infrastructure and create new attractions to capitalise on new-found worldwide fame.

The cableway project, similar to this, has been on the card for many years.

On the back of Tasmania moving a step closer to achieving its own $54 million cable car system on Hobart’s Mt Wellington, they say the time is now, with Destination Gold Coast chairman Paul Donovan warning the nation’s tourism capital was languishing.

Mr Donovan said it would take a united effort for the Gold Coast to achieve its own eco-tourism offering, something first proposed in 1998.

“It has been on the drawing board here for 20 years and yet another state like Tasmania has seen the benefits and is getting closer to running one while we are still languishing,” he said.

Flashback: The location of the Naturelink proposal, 2000

“The investors are there and are ready, we just need to pave the way and work tougher and prove to the people who are against it that there will be no environmental impact and there will be benefits to the economy on both ends.”

Mr Donovan warned that the Gold Coast needed new attractions to increase the length of time visitors to the city were staying, something which was lacking.

GLOVES OFF IN NATURELINK FIGHT

His comments were backed by Acting Mayor Donna Gates who said she “absolutely” supported a cableway.

“As long as consideration is given to environmental and amenity issues across the city,” she said.

“This includes residents and the protection of the environment but at the same time we should absolutely be adding to our tourism offerings as the capital of tourism in Australia.”

2014: Well known Gold Coast businessmen Bruce Mathison and Terry Jackman involved in the Skyride proposal Pic by David Clark

KATE JONES BACKS ECO-TOURISM PLAN

The Naturelink cableway was proposed in early 1998, running from Mudgeeraba to Springbrook but was canned by the Beattie Government in late 2000.

Several other proposals were made in the 2000s but none got off the ground.

In 2014 the Gold Coast Skyride proposal, which had backers including Mermaid Beach MP Ray Stevens, was unveiled.

The plan was quietly shelved in 2015 after the defeat of the Newman Government.

The man who led the push for the most recent project says he’s still willing to give it a go.

Former Tourism Queensland and theme park boss Terry Jackman was the chairman of Gold Coast Skyride and said there was still strong interest in the project.

“We had a good syndicate, we had people with plenty of money and after many years as the chairman of Tourism Queensland I am sure it would be a sensational addition to the city,” he said.

“It is long past overdue for the Gold Coast and it doesn’t make sense from a tourism point of view.

EARLY TALKS FOR CABLEWAY PLAN

Terry Jackman Pic by David Clark

“We have a board, we have people who are interested in doing it but we haven’t many any real progress in a few years but now is the time to start looking.”

Tourism Minister Kate Jones said she was open to new investment.

“I’m always keen to speak to tourism operators about new opportunities for the Gold Coast,” she said.

“We’re investing an extra $170 million in the tourism industry in this term of government — $36 million of this funding is for new attractions in regions like the Gold Coast.”