Commonwealth lands at Birkdale are part of a large open space area on either side of Tingalpa Creek
Residents write about ideas for use of the Birkdale Commonwealth lands, tree clearing laws and a recent community forum convened by Redlands2030 to discuss the Toondah Harbour project.
Food for thought on Birkdale Bush
Many more ideas for use of this land are in Don’t develop the Birkdale Commonwealth lands
Your recent post provoked me to air a thought I have long harboured. It is a few years since I spent a week in and around Melbourne visiting venues with a connection to farming, early settlement, heritage and the like.
Can I suggest that these venues might be food for thought for those looking at options for the Birkdale Bush if it can be saved from more of the same i.e. urban development.
Overall these parks show a variety of ways land can be used for public benefit.
Anyone visiting Melbourne for a length of time is probably aware of some of them.
Bundoora Park in the City of Darebin (population about 145,000 which is Redlands like) is run by Council – it covers a range of things from heritage to community gardens city farm & the like. When I was there it looked well run & received.
Myuna Farm at Doveton in the City of Case. The farm lets everyone of all ages and abilities, experience hands on contact with a variety of animals. Alongside the Dandenong Creek, it offers a special environment of river gums, wetlands and bird life. Myuna Farm is about preserving the agricultural history of Casey.
Collingwood Children’s Farm, is at Abbotsford and was established in 1979. The Farm is a not-for-profit community resource providing country experiences for city people, with an express aim to provide opportunities for people who are, in some way, disadvantaged.
Might be worth a look at for the Commonwealth site though suspect that the current Council will not be keen to look at anything that doesn’t turn them many $$$$s.
PR
Birkdale
Tree clearing paradox
Ponciana tree in Cleveland
When it comes to Queensland Government tree clearing laws, a paradox exists whereby the Government on one hand forbids farmers from what is no more than conventional maintenance around their properties, yet in the South East corner allow developers via a weak regional plan, to rip and tear open slather, then build without green space or parkland allowance.
Had they applied the clearing laws more thoughtfully and equally , that would have been more sensible & politically palatable, with farmers feeling less aggrieved.
And it should apply clearing laws to more than native vegetation, magnificent tress like the one above should be guarded against road maintenance, powerlink clearance works and other acts of vandalism
RH
Alexander Hills
Toondah cons forum
A few weeks ago I attended your forum on the Toondah cons!
It was a well run morning and opened my eyes to aspects of Toondah that I just didn’t know.
I was so concerned that I have since talked about Toondah to neighbours and friends.
It is clear to me that most people have been overlooked in the consultation or they have forgotten about the scale and likely impacts of this massive development.
It is my view that available information completely underplays the intention for 3,600 apartments to be constructed in Moreton Bay.
I do hope you can run more forums looking at more cons or helping us all prepare for the impact assessment process which you outlined.
How will ordinary people, like me, get our views across?
Why isn’t Council helping guide community through this process?
DH
Cleveland
Have your say
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Letters published by Redlands2030 – 28 May 2018
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3 Comments
Many of the residents of the Redlands have major problems with the direction of Redland City Council (RCC). Let’s be honest – some councillors in the RCC try to do the right thing by the residents who elected them but they are continually out-voted by the Mayor and some of her disciples. She is obviously backing the Walker Corporation, along with Cr Julie Talty and others. They pay absolutely zero attention to the majority of residents who are against the inappropriate Walker Proposal on Toondah Harbour, which would cause major environmental damage. Likewise residents are alarmed by the proposal to spend millions on a white water rafting facility at Birkdale, but the Mayor simply doesn’t listen. Furthermore Cr Julie Talty pushes her own personal aim to increase the number of dogs allowed on properties despite the number of serious injuries and deaths involving dangerous dogs. This push by Talty was voted down by other councillors but Talty continues with her push for personal reasons. Both Talty and Mayor Karen Williams need to go at the next election and we need to have more responsible councillors who will bring council rates back into a sustainable balance.
Further to Commonwealth Land. Pictured in CM 05-30-2018, Labor Premier, along with Tourism Minister Kate Jones, have unlocked eco-tourism potential announcing $1 million from Labor’s pledged $36 million tourism infrastructure fund spent on development of a business case for a tourist walk between Palm Cove & Port Douglas in State’s north, the Wangetti Trail.
Interest is also sought to establish eco-tourism project in the Whitsundays National Park..a start to grow Q’land’s tourism market share. Ms Jones said eco-tourism had been talked about over the years and the first thing the tourism industry has identified that we need to grow in our State is new experiences, particularly eco-tourism and we are finally there, Ms Jones said.
We need to grow tourism in Redland City and the right place now in which to start is developing the Commonwealth land…NO, not into 400 houses, but enhancing natural areas, keeping native trees for wildlife, along with heritage listing of Willard Homestead, with governments all sides listening to ideas of the Redlands electorate.
There needs to be a halt to over developing the Redlands, as our roads will soon be in permanent gridlock. Redland Bay lots are being/will be developed where (CM 06-01-2018) private Chinese group paid $2.4 million for 1611sq m over 3 lots at 1-3 Colburn Ave & Masters Ave after expressions of interest campaign attracted 40 inquiries and multiple offers. Development group were moving quickly to pay $1.8 for adjoining 1227sqm at 4 Masters Ave. that was not on the market….that reflects a rate of $1470/sq m considered excellent for this emerging boom area, etc. Today noted many acres of farmland still being developed in Thornlands driving from Victoria Pt roundabout through to Cleveland along an unsafe road in my view, that has ample room for widening, so with Council’s tunnel vision (promoting growth) commuting times for the working public will take longer in the a.m. and p.m. rush hour as we have a poor public transport system in Redlands and there won’t be an Eastern Busway from Coorparoo to Capalaba for a long time to come. There is no time like the present to pause, with all sides of government taking seriously, the need to pull together and create a National Park on the Commonwealth land.
This is a golden opportunity to create for Redland City, a National Park that has the space with some WWII history attached to it plus Willard Homestead, intact, can be restored for tourism, built in mid-1800’s that would, were 400 homes built on it, certainly be destroyed since Redland Council does not have a heritage register.
Noted in today’s Courier Mail (05-29-2018) and I quote: “Hollywood actor Matt Damon enjoying a getaway on N Stradbroke Is with Broadwater MP David Crisafulli and Oodgeroo MP Mark Robinson, Cleveland …a productive morning promoting tourism on ‘Straddie’ tweeted with a picture.” What tourist, may I ask, would want to drive to Cleveland harbourside to view 3,600 unit
developments?
During my 30 years living near the 4-way intersection in Capalaba, adjacent to this land, (reasons best known to Mayor, mates, local/State politicians why Commonwealth land was transferred from Birkdale to Capalaba), have witnessed our Coolnwynpin Ck system, where we once saw platypus in the waterway, plus birdlife, now polluted and unwelcome to the people, due to an uncaring local/State government where politicians all sides, happily bulldoze every tree that gets in the way of development, leaving no open space, no backyard playground space for children, building allowed up to roadways, no setbacks to speak of, no environmentally friendly development.
Road widening on Old Cleveland Rd E leading to a reserve had koala food trees on one side, bare of vegetation on the other. Locals were upset seeing tree lined side of the road, bulldozed. One has to ask, why? In same area of Capalaba, a tree over 100 years old, fence surrounding it, was destroyed, again upsetting locals. Why!? A domestic cleaning house for me, almost cried while relating that birds more than a decade later, flew over the spot they had called home. As regards koalas, they simply become extinct. To quote a visitor from Coochimudlo Is yesterday, seeing koala signs on roadsides, commented that each sign today should read ‘extinct’….because it seems all sides of government have no desire to save them for future generations to view in the wild that overseas tourists would gladly pay for rather than, as Capalaba lobbyist Jim Elder informed my former neighbour Lyn, that in future the only koala we will see is in the zoo. Dodgy deals with local & State govt pollies gave our specially protected wetland site 29-37 Moreton Bay Rd on the creek to commercial developer, where zoning was changed overnight from ‘special protection’ to ‘commercial’. Locals can no longer use the walkway as its ‘at own risk’ between 19 Crotona Rd units through Central to Old Cleveland Rd… a great loss to us locals as it would have been wonderful to be able to walk/jog the distance from there to connect with the lovely wide walkway to Windemere Rd. Alexandra Hills. Today towering concrete walls full of graffiti, adorn the walls forever dark as no sunshine will ever light the darkness … a perfect location created for society misfits.
I have witnessed traffic deaths on Old Cleveland Rd East, and Finucane Road. AWU Labor’s ex-Transport Minister refused to listen to us locals in preventing motorists turning into flowing traffic known black spot from Willard Rd into Finucane Rd. … but for the short time Campbell Newman was Premier, it was fixed…even so, the roadway has seen many near road crashes the worst in recent times of a semi-trailer striking a car at the 4-way intersection killing a young 25-yr old young woman. How can any government body, even consider building 400 homes on the Commonwealth land when we are in gridlock already in the a.m. rush hour and p.m. on both roads? And I’m sure that Premier and Jackie Trad, quick to approve development in Redlands, such as 3600 units on and in Toondah Harbour marine environment, Cleveland, would not give a second thought to what chaos they would create in approving more bulldozing of native trees leaving not one twig when greedy grubby developers move in, (photographed jumping up and down on the land in local newspaper some years ago desperate for it but Canberra said no). The Federal Government should do the right thing by the people, gift the land to all of the people of Redland City…promoting tourism. My view.