World-class light, sound attraction planned for Brisbane family site

One of Brisbane’s most popular weekend picnic spots could host a night-time light and sound attraction. But the hi-tech drawcard, found in only a dozen other places on the planet, has some locals worried. Here’s why.

A Brisbane-based company has submitted plans for a hi-tech sound and light attraction within Mount Coot-Tha Botanic Gardens.

If approved, the Light Dreaming drawcard would be one of only 13 in the world — with the others in Canada, Japan, France and Singapore.

Canadian multimedia company Moment Factory designs the Illumina Night Walk sensory experiences.

Up to 2400 paying customers a night, in four to six one-hour sessions, would move through eight to 10 “light stations’’ scattered around the 1km Gardens Explorer Trail.

The experience would involve a number of lighting effects including video projections, custom luminaires, lasers and lightwashes.

How the illumina night walk could look.

About 17 staff, including eight tour guides, would be employed and one or two tour buses would be needed.

But there were expected to be no major parking or traffic impacts, as operations were at night.

The idea came about as part of Council’s Better Brisbane Proposal initiative, which aimed to create jobs, improve services and strengthen the city’s economy.

If approved, it would open in September next year on Friday and Saturday nights, and possibly other nights, over an initial period of five years, with the option of a second five-year period.

Place Design Group said in the development application (DA) that similar light shows had previously taken place in the gardens.

“The Mount Coot-Tha Botanic Gardens have operated creative night-time projects, installations and interactive artworks previously, such as the Botanica: Contemporary Art Outside which occurs annually,’’ Place wrote.

How the Lumina night walk could look.

“Notably, the proposal is consistent with the overall outcomes of the applicable Mount Coot-Tha Neighbourhood Plan code, through delivering a tourist attraction activity and environmental facility that is both small-scale and low-impact due to no built-form being required.

“The proposal maintains the existing facilities and usability of the Gardens, enhancing the learning and leisure contributions that the site provides for the city.’’

Lumina Night Walks have been constructed overseas in local parks, national parks, zoos and heritage sites.

There is a similar experience, called Light Cycles, within the Adelaide Botanic Gardens.

“This Australian-first production transforms the Botanic Gardens’ lush greenery with immersive technology to connect visitors to nature as part of an after-dark experience,’’ the company’s website said.

An overseas Lumina night walk.

The DA said operations would run for a total of 150 days per year with hours of operation varying depending on the season and daylight hours, but approximately 6–11pm.

An ecological report by consultants 28 South Environmental said lighting would be turned on for less than 10 per cent of total night-time hours during the year.

No trees or shrubs in the botanic gardens, one of Brisbane’s top tourist attractions and most loved picnic and walking spots, would be removed.

The report said the extent of trimming needed was unknown, but was “likely to be minimal’’.

Pruning would be supervised by a level 5 consulting arborist under the guidance of gardens staff.

Light cables would be erected in disturbed areas, existing sheds would be used for storage and only shallow trenching for cables would be needed, installed under supervision of an arborist.

Aerial view of the affected area.

The report also said light and noise “spill’’ would be minimal and the Civil Aviation and Safety Authority said it had no concerns about safety for TV and other helicopters overflying the gardens.

The gardens were not a koala habitat, there were no grey-headed flying fox colonies in or near the gardens and there was expected to be no impact on the threatened tusked frog.

However, habitat surveys were done only on June 29 and July 19, with only six hours of spotlighting as well as daytime sightings.

“No detailed fauna surveys have been undertaken to date, as no primary physical impacts are proposed and the impacts being limited to lighting and noise in an anthropogenic (manmade) garden of exotic plantings,’’ 28 South said.

So far only six formal submissions — five against — have been lodged but many more locals have posted their concerns on community Facebook pages.

“As a community, we decided as part of the (previously rejected) zipline discussions that our priority for Mount Coot-Tha was to focus on retaining the natural habit, rather than as a theme park,’’ one submission on the DA read.

The light show is planned for the Gardens Explorer Trail.

“This proposal, allowing a private entity to profit from state land, is not in keeping with trying to preserve Mount Coot-Tha as a natural habit as much as possible, and should not be approved.’’

Another objector wrote: “Mount Coot-Tha and the Botanical Gardens are one of the few safe places for wildlife where, especially nocturnal animals, should feel safe.

“Brisbane City Council, for once, should take themselves seriously and leave some parks for wildlife instead of turning every park into an entertainment centre for humans.’’

But the sole supporter wrote that it was an “absolutely fantastic idea’’.

“This will be great for kids and bring a fresh vibe to an otherwise outdated, sleepy town that nobody really wants to visit,’’ they said.

“We don’t have drawcards like Melbourne and Sydney. This could be something that makes

people actually want to visit Brisbane.’’

The first sod was turned at the gardens site in 1972. It now has the world’s largest collection of Australian native rainforest plants, plus many exotics.

More details on Council’s online DA portal developmenti. Search for application A006083027

Originally published as World-class light, sound attraction planned for Brisbane family site