Daintree residents raise safety concerns regarding youth offender training village

Long-term residents have spoken out about a controversial youth offender training village proposal for low-lying land within the Daintree River flood plain that relies on alleged out-of-date flood maps.

Map showing positioning of proposed buildings at the Daintree River site. Picture: Supplied

Long-term residents have spoken out about a controversial youth offender training village proposal for low-lying land within the Daintree River flood plain that relies on alleged out-of-date flood maps.

In December last year Jabalbina Aboriginal Corporation applied to Douglas Shire Council for permission to build a total of 12 accommodation units, an education centre and a chill-out building on Lot 2 of the Daintree River Station.

The state government has provided Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation with $6.34m over two years to deliver what’s being called an Intensive On Country program aimed at breaking the youth crime cycle.

An aerial view of the proposed training village for at-risk youth on the banks of the Daintree River. Picture: Supplied

Former Douglas Shire mayor and Daintree resident Mike Berwick said most agreed programs such as the one planned for Daintree River Station were desperately needed, however there had been heated debate about whether the chosen site at 200 Upper Daintree Road was the best fit.

“I know a lot of people in the Daintree are opposed to it,” he said.

“They are worried that these kids are running rampant and I understand people’s concerns but rather than (rejecting it) let’s try and make it work.

“Some of these concerns are legitimate and there’s a few furphy that need to be put to rest; it’s not a detention centre and (participation is) voluntary.

“It will be good for Mossman and the Indigenous community and good for Daintree, I think it’s a good thing for the whole shire.”

Concerns raised by locals include safety fears for residents and the “importing of problems into the community,” given the area is not serviced by a police station or medical centre.

Devaluation of nearby property values has also been raised by people making submissions on the proposal.

But the biggest concern from a member of the Daintree Rural Fire Brigade and farmer of the area for 20 years, whose name has been withheld by the Douglas Shire Council when publishing his submission, was what he said were out-of-date flood maps relied on by the proposal.

“The January 2019 and December 2023 floods both exceed the overlay by 2-3m,” he wrote.

“One in a hundred year flood data is no longer a reliable indicator.

A Daintree farmer says flood overlays of the Daintree River didn't accurately reflect the water levels experienced during the 2023 and 2019 floods. Picture: Supplied

“A proposed educational facility in an isolated location with only river access, subject to increased severe flooding events seems unsafe.”

He said river levels can rise at a rate of 1m per hour, no swiftwater rescue boats stationed at the Daintree, a heavily-clouded valley made helicopter rescues problematic and there was frequent loss of all telecommunications.

“It puts lives of everyone at stake, the locals, the victims and the emergency services,” he wrote.

“One hopes never to read the headlines ‘why was an educational village set up on a wild river flood plain?

“Surely there’s a duty of care.”

The farmer’s claims are contested by Jabalbina.

Jabalbina chief executive Josh Paterson has previously said flood studies indicated the parcel of land on which the development would take place was well above the flood zone.

“Even in the last (TC Jasper) flood it was well above the zone,” he said.

On Tuesday Jabalbina held an information session at the Daintree Village Hall where chief executive Josh Paterson and town planner Dominic Hammersley fielded questions from the public about the proposal.

To have your say on the Daintree River Station development email the Douglas Shire Council at [e-mail] and quote the application number: 2024_5698

Follow @petercarruther1

Originally published as Daintree residents raise safety concerns regarding youth offender training village