Cableway Gold Coast: Call for environmental study as residents voice concerns
The council and state government is being asked to fund an environmental study as residents voice grave concerns about the proposed Gold Coast hinterland cableway. VOTE IN OUR POLL
Gold Coast
Don't miss out on the headlines from Gold Coast. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE council and State Government is being asked to fund an environmental study as residents voice grave concerns about the proposed Gold Coast hinterland cableway.
Mudgeeraba-based councillor Glenn Tozer has written to Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon and asked the Gaven MP to consider supporting a shared funding commitment to explore the environmental impacts before starting community consultation.
The Bulletin in an exclusive report on Friday revealed a consultant had given the council the green light to back a cableway and in a pre-feasibility report concluded there was “merit” in investigating the city’s potential newest tourist attraction.
Cr Tozer shared the report on his Facebook page and residents immediately responded with their concerns.
“I can’t believe this is being considered again. World Heritage listed national park should be completely off limits,” a resident posted.
“Our irreplaceable natural world is continually being taken down by developers. Absolutely heartbreaking. We already have theme parks without making our most beautiful, environmentally sensitive rainforest into another one.”
Springbrook resident Ceris Ash said the main concerns for managing the Gondwana rainforests were climate change, the high levels of visitation, effective fire management and mitigating the effects of invasion by pest species.
“The recent fires of 2019-2020 have been unprecedented and their longer-term impacts are still being evaluated,” she wrote.
Cr Tozer in a post told residents: “What frustrates me most is not the consideration of major projects, but the cherry picking of relevant information to determine the community view. “Frankly, without a thorough assessment of the environmental value and impact of development in the target area, the economic benefit or cost is impossible to determine, regardless of what a consultant might say.”
In his letter to Ms Scanlon he said he was “neither for or against a cableway at this time” but the community needed comprehensive information on environmental economics and impact.
Urbis in their report found the new tourist attraction will require a capital investment of around $170 million, and ongoing operational costs estimated at $5.1 million but warned it needs to be an eco-friendly project that fits in with the character of the national park.
Cr Tozer told Ms Scanlon his personal view was that community consultation, at this stage, would be “unproductive” without material showing the environmental impact.
“The community are already aware of the supposed-assessed economic benefits, which is all we have to offer the public in any supporting material for any proposed community consultation,” he wrote.
Cr Tozer at a council committee meeting on Wednesday when the report will be discussed says he intends to ask councillors to commission a report so “mitigating measures could be better quantified”.
Recommendations in a council officer’s report suggest councillors endorse the proposed way forward which would see the council CEO “be given delegated authority to do all things necessary to progress the project”.
Part of that will include consultation with the community and traditional owners and creating a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government and council to progress a proponent-led development of a business case.
Councillors will also debate ticking off $500,000 in funding from the 2021-22 budget.
Exclusive: Green light for Gold Coast cableway
A consultant has given the council the green light to back a cableway in the Gold Coast hinterland.
The Bulletin can reveal Urbis advised council in a pre-feasibility report that there was “merit” in investigating the city’s potential newest tourist attraction.
A cableway to Springbrook will require a capital investment of around $170 million, and ongoing operational costs estimated at $5.1 million.
YOUR QUESTIONS: OUR REPORTERS ANSWER QUERIES ON CABLEWAY, COOMERA CONNECTOR
The study area extends across the valleys between Springbrook and Neranwood and included the Springbrook Plateau in the west and a significant portion of the hinterland foothills to the east.
But Urbis warned the council about the need for this to be an eco-friendly project that fits in with the character of the Springbrook National Park.
Mayor Tom Tate told the Bulletin the council would embark on an extensive consultation process with stakeholders, environment groups and the community.
Councillors are set to discuss the report at a committee meeting on Wednesday.
The findings about the cableway project include:
● A significant tourism uplift including increasing the number of visitors per night staying on the Gold Coast, attracting an average 1628 passengers per day and a total 594,302 passengers per annum;
● The average revenue per passenger trip is expected to be about $55;
● Will generate an annual gross operating profit of $31.2 million;
● Could break even within five to 10 years of construction with a gross annual operating profit of $33 million;
● Could generate 829 jobs and additional economic benefit of over $878 million.
The consultant noted that the potential economic benefits to both the state and regional economies were “significant”, given the recovery needed from COVID.
“But it is critical that any future proposal appropriately balances the economic benefits with the outstanding natural features of the locality and any adverse impacts on the local communities of both Springbrook and Mudgeeraba,” the report says.
The project had to deliver a best-practice eco-tourism experience for visitors “whilst ensuring compatibility with the ecological and cultural values of Springbrook, the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia and the City of Gold Coast”.
The cableway must be designed to “fit within the character of the Springbrook National Park”.
Mayor Tate said: “I want to ensure that key interest groups are fully involved in initial stages of any discussions, and throughout the proposed project.
“Of course, traditional owners are paramount but I want to include our city’s environmental groups. I will be asking council to ensure this occurs.
“With that in mind, I ask all parties to come to these discussions with an open mind. Let me be very clear – if this project does not meet the stringent environmental conditions, I will be the first to rule it out.’’
Originally published as Cableway Gold Coast: Call for environmental study as residents voice concerns
Major road closed after serious crash
A major thoroughfare near the Qld-NSW border has been closed after a serious two-vehicle crash, leaving motorists stuck in heavy afternoon traffic. Here’s the latest.
Woman’s despair after tobacconist firebombing destroys home
A woman living above a firebombed northern NSW tobacconist has been left devastated after the inferno ripped through her home, leaving her with “nothing but the clothes on her back”.