Power shut off to sick, elderly at Couran Cove Island Resort, South Stradbroke Island

Dozens of residents in a Gold Coast island community have had their electricity deliberately shut off, with fears more will be affected. Find out what’s caused the mass blackout.

The sick and elderly are among dozens of residents who had their electricity shut off as legal dramas continue to plague an embattled island resort.

Residents of the Couran Cove Island Resort on South Stradbroke Island have told the Bulletin power was cut to at least 16 homes on Saturday.

The residents say they have been warned eco cabins could also lose their power as early as today.

Couran Cove Island Resort

It’s understood the drastic action has been taken due to claims of money owed by one of the body corporates within Couran Cove’s complex body corporate structure.

There are five body corporates involved on the island, with complex court proceedings playing out over millions of dollars in unpaid levies.

The Bulletin has sighted a email sent to a resident from Community Body Corporate chairman David Rosenblum demanding $300,000 be paid to the CBC by September 21.

“If payment of $300,000 is not made by 3pm Wednesday, September 21, 2022, essential services will be disconnected. This is a final demand,” the email stated.

A photo taken by a Couran Cove resident of an electrician on the island. Picture: supplied

Couran Cove eco cabin owner Karen Angel said she feared the loss of power to homes would cause “really bad safety concerns” for residents.

“My concern is that they’re switching off the power to people who have medical conditions – they’re not even caring that they’re putting lives in danger at this stage,” Ms Angel said.

“It’s just ruthless.”

Couran Cove Island Resort eco cabin owner DJ (left) with eco cabin owner Karen Angel (right). Picture: supplied

Another eco cabin owner, Michelle Bowden, said residents didn’t know if or when their power would be shut off.

“An elderly woman who had her power cut off, she had to leave the island because she was so stressed,” Ms Bowden said.

“She left the island to go to hospital because she was having an anxiety attack.”

A CBC spokesman said one of the body corporates on the island had refused to pass on funds owed to pay the electricity provider and this was now months overdue.

Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman’s office, which oversees body corporate issues in Queensland, has been contacted for comment.

Couran Cove Island Resort residents pleaded for the state government to step in to help them last year. Picture: supplied

It’s not the first time island residents have been shut off from essential services.

In September last year, residents called on the state government to step in to resolve their dispute with the CBC after their gas supply was turned off for two months.

The residents posed for a photo with the words “help no gas” written in the sand in a public plea for help.

Ms Fentiman met with the residents last year to discuss their concerns.

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Originally published as Power shut off to sick, elderly at Couran Cove Island Resort, South Stradbroke Island