Mixed reactions to $220m Southport to Sanctuary Cove cable car idea

CITY leaders have offered mixed reactions to plans to build a $220 million, 24km sky rail link over the Broadwater and up to Sanctuary Cove.

The Skylinq would start at Southport in very close proximity to the light rail.

CITY leaders have offered mixed reactions to plans to build a $220 million, 24km sky rail link over the Broadwater and up to Sanctuary Cove.

Sources told the Bulletin a project of this size was unlikely to be realised without a thorough approval process.

Safety, environmental concerns and financial backing were listed as the major issues to be addressed.

Mayor Tom Tate said he would need to see clear guidelines before offering support for the project.

CABLE CAR COULD BE BUILT BY 2018

"I would like to know that there would be no major environmental impact, that all safety considerations had been looked at and I would like to have a look at the funding model before I supported it," said Cr Tate.

"In saying that, the Gold Coast does need new tourism infrastructure so we welcome new ideas."

The $220 million cable car ride from Southport to Sanctuary Cove, via The Spit and South Stradbroke Island, will be put to the State Government in coming months.

The 24km project would span the Seaway and Broadwater, and future stages could extend south to Surfers Paradise and north to Coomera.

Skylinq, the company behind the ambitious proposal, claims to have full funding from UK financiers and hopes to have the cableway built before the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

It claimed the Gold Coast City Council had been consulted about the plan, but much of the route is over State Government land. Council yesterday said a formal submission had yet to be presented.

The project is being spruiked by a group called Connecting Northern Gold Coast, with Skylinq, as well as other enterprises yet to be ­approved, promoted on its website.

Sources said the south-easterly winds would make it hard for the project to remain open all year round.

Save Our Spit president Steve Gration said the group would not support a sky cable running over the Broadwater.

He said it would impact on wildlife habitat and South Stradbroke, one of the station destinations, was protected by international treaties.

He said the project would raise issues of privacy and noise for some residents.