Budds Beach residents share their thoughts as construction starts on Bounce Surfers Paradise
Residents of an swanky Gold Coast locale have shared their views on surprise news that a 449-bed backpackers complex is coming to the heart of their exclusive enclave.
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Residents of exclusive Budds Beach have offered mostly positive opinions on the prospect of high density backpacker accommodation being built in their area.
The Bulletin on Monday reported that work had begun on Bounce, a seven-storey building on Pine Ave aimed at housing backpackers and also the homeless.
The development will provide 449 beds across 102 bedrooms.
The quiet Budds Beach community orbits around Bumbles Cafe, which has perched on the corner of River Dr and Pine Ave since 2000.
Bumbles owner Kate Madison said news of the development surprised her, but she thought it was great that there would be more affordable housing.
She said despite hospitality workers being well-paid in Australia, working holiday makers were limited to 24 hours a week which inherently limited their income.
“A lot of the kids here live in apartments where there’s like six people living in one apartment and they’re paying the equivalent of $350 for a bed,” she said.
Ms Madison said the block was previously occupied by a backpackers, which she said brought a great atmosphere to the area.
“A lot of South Americans come down here and sort of sing in the afternoon and do sunset drinks on the beach – it’s great,” she said.
“It’s like a nice texture.”
She said it was “amazing” the development would go ahead because of its proximity to some of the Coast’s most luxurious real estate.
“I don’t think all rich people should live together and all poor people should live together, but it’s sort of like Chevron Island – every block of land along the perimeter is $2.2m, yet across the road places are being rented out for $200 per week.”
David, a resident of a decade in one of the high-rise buildings close to Budds Beach, said he was a bit concerned about the noise the complex might create, especially with a rooftop pool.
He said backpackers who stayed at the old hostel would walk down to Budds Beach to hang out of an evening.
“Quite often that leaves a lot of rubbish around here, that we as locals end up trying to clean up in the morning,” he said.
David described the area around Budds Beach as peaceful, a small area that not too many people know about.
“It gets a bit raucous on long weekends sometimes … but as you can see it’s a beautiful place to sit and have picnics.”
David said he would be less supportive if the building just became a party hub, but if the accommodation provided affordable housing, then he had no problem with it.
“I think everybody deserves to have a home in Australia in general,” he said.
“My biggest concern with a lot of the buildings that are going up around here is the inadequate parking infrastructure that’s been put in place, which creates a lot of on street parking because all the apartments are sold with either one car space or no car spaces,” he said.
Southport resident Lyn Smith said providing accessible and affordable accommodation in the central Gold Coast was necessary.
She said she was sick of seeing luxury development after luxury development in circumstances where nurses and teachers might struggle to save enough for a deposit to own a home.
“What is low income these days?,” Ms Smith questioned.
She said she was glad there might be an option for affordable housing, but hoped there would be some kind of concierge or surveillance, so there could be a way of maintaining peace and order.
Originally published as Budds Beach residents share their thoughts as construction starts on Bounce Surfers Paradise
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