Revealed: Why cableway will be hard to build
Council officers have warned the planned $170 million hinterland cableway to Springbrook will be no easy ride to success, with multiple "technical, social and environmental challenges" identified. FULL DETAILS >>>
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GOLD Coast City Council officers warn the planned $170 million hinterland cableway to Springbrook will be no easy ride to success.
Their report in a pre-feasibility assessment provided in an updated full council agenda item says there will be “several technical, social and environmental challenges”.
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Opposition to the project is mounting, with environmentalists staging a forum at Robina on Thursday in which key speakers will call on the state government to increase funding for the protection of national parks, rather than build tourist attractions.
The officers wrote in their report: “It is critical that any future proposal appropriately balances economic benefits with the outstanding local features of the locality.”
The best practice criteria outlined by officers included the tourist project being “designed to fit within the character of the Springbrook national park” and to “minimise its footprint”.
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Challenges included a future proponent undertaking a full environmental impact assessment that considered “the visual constraints”.
“Principles for cableway design include protection of priority viewsheds and avoiding detrimental impacts,” the report says.
New mapping shows the area where traditional owners would be consulted, and a study area that sweeps east from the Purling Brook Falls to Mudgeeraba.
The gondolas would operate on a dual cable system. A base station would be off Springbrook Road, and a mid station and destination station on Springbrook plateau, the report says.
An earlier pre-feasibility study by consultants Urbis suggested the project was of “merit”, and the officers’ report points to the domestic overnight visitor market as the prime source of tourists.
However, on economic potential, the officers caution “a cableway on its own is not a unique experience” and a wide range of experiences would be needed at the destination.
The GECKO environmental council is responding by organising a line-up of speakers at an Environment Council Forum on national parks and ecotourism at Robina Community Centre on Thursday.
Forum convenor Lois Levy said speakers would be asking why Queensland had less national park areas than all other states and what could be done about it.
Professor Hugh Possingham, Queensland’s chief scientist and senior research fellow at the University of Queensland (UQ), will discuss the role of national parks in ensuring survival of our unique flora and fauna.
At 8.2 per cent, Queensland has the smallest percentage of national parks/protected areas amongst all the states. Environmentalists want this increased to meet the international standard of 17 per cent.
“It is often said that national parks and their management is a drain on government funding, but Dr Sally Driml, UQ lecturer and researcher, shows this is false,” Ms Levy said.
“In fact, national parks generate $659 million per annum from visitors to the parks, but not enough of this revenue is put back into their acquisition and management.”
MARCH 19: DIVISIONS OVER GREEN LIGHT TO PURSUE CABLEWAY
THE decision by Mayor Tom Tate for council “to take the risk” and pursue a business case for the cableway is dividing councillors and community groups.
Councillor Tate pushed the green button on the Springbrook National Park project after the Bulletin reported on Thursday that about 14,000 people had signed a petition against it.
A council source said some councillors had begun asking questions about the city funding a study in a state-controlled national park.
The Bulletin approached green-leaning councillor Peter Young who confirmed he had yet to receive any material on a cableway report due to be presented to councillors in committee.
“I don’t know how it can be asserted that ‘we will risk it’ when no material has been presented to councillors to make any proper assessment,” Cr Young said.
“I want to assure residents whom I represent that I have an open mind to this proposal and I look forward to reviewing it carefully and critically in comparison with a range of other investments.
“We all remember the millions of ratepayer dollars spent on evaluating a cruise ship terminal, for which I see little hope of attracting genuine private sector interest based on the business case determined for it, let alone in a post-COVID world.”
The council source said officers did not have the expertise to investigate the impact of a cableway in a national park because the area was looked after by the state, which meant specialist environmental consultants would need to be employed.
“The view of some councillors is it’s just another example of the council paying for something that is in the state’s area,” the source said.
“They are asking why is the council funding a national park project when we haven’t funded any other national park project.”
Councillors are yet to be briefed at a committee meeting on a new report on the project, but a key question in debate is expected to be how waste water will treated on the mountain.
“Surely they will want to put a waste water treatment plant in. Or you will need a large septic tank to clean out every day?” the source said.
Residents and Ratepayers Association leader Tom Bleier called on the council to do more consultation and make it simpler for residents to understand.
Mr Bleier said the biggest challenge was making sense of public notices for developments.
“It should be in clear and plain language. Instead you’ve got obscure legalistic terms,” Mr Bleier said.
The increasing lack of consultation from council was also a growing concern among ratepayers and community representatives.
“I’m not against this mayor personally, he’s done some good promoting work, this is about the level of community consultation,” Mr Bleier said.
“That lack of consultation comes about the longer someone stays in power. I’m in favour of tourism and everyone’s in favour of the revenue from tourism, but decisions are being taken without too much consultation.”
Wildlife Queensland’s Gold Coast leader Sally Spain warned council was facing another environmental battle.
“It’s ratepayers’ money to be squandered on studies of an area that already had detailed, expensive assessment and a consequent ‘no go’,” she said.
“Much more than other natural areas, (the hinterland) needs low impact usage and to retain World Heritage status.”
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