Development of Port Hinchinbrook, devastated by Cyclone Yasi in 2011, was opposed by Margaret Thorsborne
Diminutive in physical stature – gigantic in conservation impact: the recent death of Margaret Thorsborne has left a gaping hole and a living legacy.
Margaret’s stand against the development of Port Hinchinbrook by white shoe brigade developer Keith Williams was seen internationally when she stood erect and alone, refusing to shift, as a huge bulldozer bore down on her.
Her warnings that the destruction of mangroves, the dredging of pristine wetlands and the disturbance of acid sulphate soils would all end badly are all now readily apparent. Port Hinchinbrook is a ruin and no level of government nor any developer wants a bar of it.
The poor souls who innocently bought there have been abandoned.
Margaret’s warnings those many years ago are ringing loudly again today with the obscene attempt to destroy Moreton Bay to build Toondah town: more wetlands to be destroyed; more mangroves to be mangled; more dredged acid sulfate soil.
And the abandoned souls here in the Redlands? – all the current citizens and businesses who’s lives and livelihood will be disrupted for years of construction terror or ruined altogether. And Australia’s reputation? Ruined as well as the international Ramsar treaty is trashed. And natural Wildlife? Farewell.
Legacies left by Margaret Thorsborne
Margaret Thorsborne Photo: Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland
Margaret’s legacies are many. The Thorsborne trail across Hinchinbrook Island is an international wonder. The arboretum that she and her husband created at Edmund Kennedy National Park preserves trees for future generations. Her work with Cassowaries and Pied Imperial Pigeons have helped prevent both species from becoming extinct.
Margaret Thorsborne saw no need to compromise and I can imagine that Margaret’s message to all of us now would be something like this:
- Do all you can to protect and preserve our natural environment – it is irreplaceable.
- Do not let any level of government betray you by handing any amount of Moreton Bay and it’s wetlands to private developers for their profit.
- Bugger bulldozers!
Thanks Margaret Thorsborne.
Brian Whitelaw
Other stories by Brian Whitelaw include:
Bad smell left by Council’s RIC land sales
The age of foolishness – in Redland City
Cleveland – it’s now Builders Paradise
Published by Redlands2030 – 6 November 2018
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One Comment
We need a few more people like Margaret Thorsborne, who have had the foresight to see what irreversible destruction of our environment can do to the whole ecosystem. Humans are part of that ecosystem though some humans from the white shoe brigade, such as developer Keith Williams, can only understand what can make money for themselves. I actually heard him say on TV, when criticised for the dredging of a large mangrove region, that “it is just a stinking mudhole.” That shows the extent of his understanding of our natural environment. Such wetland areas are not only the nursery grounds of prawns, mud-crabs and various fish species but also the feeding grounds of migratory shore birds while the seagrass areas support populations of dugong, sea turtles and sand crabs. People like Keith Williams and Lang Walker then develop eloquent marketing strategies with highly imaginative artistic impressions and some of our elected councillors and politicians fall for it. Look at how easily Jeff Seeney and Jackie Trad fell for the hype, not to mention the Mayor of the Redland City Council. Let’s hope that Toondah Harbour does not end up like Port Hinchinbrook Harbour. Two bedroom apartments that sold for $565,000 back in 2007 were valued in 2017 at around $170,000. The politicians and councillors who were spruiking that North Queensland Harbour Development have now disappeared into the woodwork. Further south at Toondah Harbour we have a mayor talking of the “naturally wonderful Redlands coast” as she supports a dredging and development proposal that will totally decimate a large area of the protected Ramsar Wetlands. Such a dredging exercise is irreversible.