On Sunday 10th March the Premier, Anastasia Palaszczuk, and the Minister for Planning, Hon. Cameron Dick launched the draft Spit Master Plan at Muriel Henchman Park on The Spit. After 40 years of campaigning to protect The Spit public open space from unsuitable development we finally have a Plan. This Plan is now available for public comment via the government website www.qld.gov.au/thespit
Council has continued to spend ratepayer funds on investigations into this proposal, despite strong community opposition to this proposal as well as all previous cruise ship proposals since 2003. The resultant reports are heavily redacted especially information regarding financial and physical risks, information the community is entitled to know about! The proposal was sent to the Co-ordinator General who declined to consider it until the Spit Master Plan process is complete in late 2019.
The campaign to stop the infill of the Lake has continued unabated over past months, but nothing has swayed either the Council or the Gold Coast Turf Club. The Lake is now partially filled and the GC Turf Club apparently intends to fill it all, except for whatever small amount is needed for flood mitigation.
In early December another of the weekend workshops to design the Spit Master Plan was held at SeaWorld, with representatives from the community, business and community groups present. This time the focus was on pulling together outcomes of public consultation on the 72 Options.
The Spit is a unique city asset that all Gold Coasters, regardless of where they live, can enjoy and protect. Several workshops have been held. From these detailed discussions the consultants have produced an Options Paper which is now out for public consultation. The survey concludes on 25th November – please take part.
The Spit Master Plan by Lois Levy The campaign to protect the public open space of The Spit at the Gold Coast Broadwater has been a fierce and often divisive one for over thirty years. The development industry has wanted to develop The Spit for a film set horizon tank, Read more
The campaign for this small public open space in Bundall began in 2014 and has attracted the support of thousands of people, appalled that Council is giving this lake to the Gold Coast Turf Club to fill and use as a car park. Black Swan Lake is a haven to over 50 species of birds as well as other wildlife, and is an important green space for the neighbourhood.
Public open space in Gold Coast City is constantly under threat from some in the business sector, who see such land as open to commercial exploitation. There have been many examples of businesses wanting to develop public open space for their own personal profit. As many Councillors support business in these endeavours, it is left to the environment and community sectors to remain vigilant and campaign to retain essential green spaces in the city.
Wildlife Preservation Society actioned a petition which was presented to Council in October 2014. Gecko has written to Council requesting that the Lake remain and that Council consider some type of park and ride arrangement for events at the Turf Club in line with Council policy to encourage the use of public transport. Below is a copy of that letter and a media article about the issue. A decision from Council is pending.
Gold Coasters have been dealt a combo of low blows over the proposed oceanside cruise terminal pre-election promise from Mayor Tom Tate with LiQUiFY able to reveal multiple issues which defy belief – namely that the actual cost for the ‘modest $70 million terminal’ floated by the mayor will now be half a billion dollars – that’s right, $500 million!
It was a good turnout last Sunday, but there is still time for you to have your say. Submissions close 7th April. The public consultation on two aspects of the future of The Spit began with the publication of two questionnaires on the website of the Department of State Development. Act now