Black Swan Lake - January 2021 Update
The main campaign to save Black Swan Lake at Bundall reached a successful conclusion late in 2020 when Council voted to retain the remaining 20% of the lake for wildlife and community benefit.
However the future management of the Lake remains undecided.
Councillor Peter Young put forward the recommendation after more than one hour’s debate at full council today.
The recommendation included:
• council restate its support for the borrow pit at Bundall
• the city back an option which will create a permanent and compliant water body
• CEO Dale Dickson to talk to the Gold Coast Turf Club about an appropriate financial contribution.
An appropriate amount of funding would be included in a budget review. The solution will cost between $600,000 and $1.5 million.
The vote was 6-5 to retain the lake.
Following this decision Gecko wrote to Council “on behalf of our members to ask for any further details being considered in the rehabilitation of the lake as this is a matter of great community interest, as you are well aware.
Our members would like to see the lake enlarged to, at least, 50% so it would provide sufficient water to give it a chance of improved water quality as well as being a large enough surface for swans to take off.
Black Swan Lake was originally a peaceful, serene area where wildlife could live safe from the effects of the surrounding development.
It was a picnic area for community residents and used by workers during their lunch break and to meet friends.
The Lake was used by migratory birds who were grateful to land there after their exhausting journeys.
Is there now a large enough body of water for the rare black swans to use as a flight path.
The wide variety of birds which originally used to inhabit this area has now greatly reduced – it is hoped they have found somewhere else to go where they are safe from the effects of development?
The Gold Coast Turf Club want to use this area for horse grazing. Hopefully it will still be a pleasant place for the community to visit and picnic.”
The Council’s Property Manager responded in December 2020 advising that discussions were ongoing with the Gold Coast Turf Club regarding future management of the Lake and that they would need to make a new application to Council.
Gecko’s suggestion that a community based lake-care group be established will also receive consideration.
Gecko will continue to follow this up as the New Year progresses.
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