Letters nail Toondah (again) and the Whale Centre

More and more people are speaking out about the Toondah PDA development proposal.  The letters to our Editor are overwhelmingly opposed to the development. Of interest is that more and more correspondents are from further afield or even newly settled in the area.

On a different note the concerns about the Whale Centre on Straddie are raised again.

Toondah’s local impacts

Just wondering about the escalated danger, pressure and inconvenience for local families as they are dropping kids off at

Sunrise over the Bay at Toondah

schools having to cope with the increased traffic, large noisy trucks and tradies vehicles for the next 15-20 years as the proposed Walkers development of the  Toondah foreshore is built.

As well as the constant heavy trucks traffic on roads through quiet suburban streets that are not built to tolerate such use.

Who is going to pay for repairs to the roads?

MW

Cleveland

Big angst from Whale Centre

So this is where Council have decided to build Whale centre, without any community consultation.
Of course the public reserve land means money and business to them
While it means culture and heritage to us!

North Stradbroke island does not need big buildings. It is a village.
That’s what residents and tourists come here for!

Natural beauty.

Wrong place!
Wrong plan!
Wrong idea!

CF

Ormiston

Editor: the location of the Whale Centre isn’t a decision by Council alone

Toondah is divisive

Toondah Harbour is something that will become a very divisive issue as we follow the current process to achieve its development. The division will be about money. Those who stand to gain financially will be for it and those who might be labelled anti-development will be against it.

Much has been said about this by community groups such as Redlands 2030 and The Toondah Action Group. Some of the

Give Walkers the boot and just fix the port…protesters reject the mega residential development at Toondah.

main points of contention are the high rise apartments with 3600 units, the loss of community access to the natural shore line fronting GJ Walter, the destruction of Ramsar protected wetlands, the intrusion of a large marina which would cater for wealthy boat owners and the commercial competition against the Cleveland CBD. This last point seems to be a problem considering that the local Suncorp Bank is closing as well as Sizzler’s Restaurant being replaced by another fast food outlet.

The original premise for this development was to upgrade the harbour by dredging the access channels, providing better terminal facilities and more car parking. All this can be done for a lot less than the billions that are being proposed by Walkers. It may mean that we will have to foot the bill for something we want as a community instead of living with something we do not want.

Being up against people with big money makes it hard to influence decisions about this project but we do have the power to vote. Look at the people who are supporting these decisions at all levels of government and make it clear to them that through the ballot box we can decide who will be making these decisions.

BP

Cleveland

Toondah Dismay

I have recently moved to the area and live close to the proposed Toondah development.  I am extremely dismayed.

I can see many reasons why this would be so inappropriate for the area and it’s residents but will just mention one here. It would be devastating for the local wildlife – both on land and in the water. I hear the curlews, amongst other coastal birds

Toondah koala Airlie drawn by Louise Saunders

that I cannot name yet, calling each evening and morning. Also, amazingly, I have heard koalas each night this past week in nearby trees, adjacent to the ferry terminal.

I have previously lived in an outer Brisbane suburb for years and yet have NEVER had the privilege of experiencing evidence of a nearby koala population. It is amazing to have them so close living in the wild.

The proposed development would destroy these animal’s habitats and change the face of this area forever.

Native birds, koalas and other animals would no longer thrive here, indeed, perhaps not even be present here anymore. I cannot believe in this day with access to all the information we have on caring for the environment that any governments should even be considering such a development.

SH

Cleveland