Home
Most Recent Posts:
Message to the environment minister May 18th, 2021Cableway crash kills 14 May 24th, 2021History of cableway proposals in Springbrook National Park May 18th, 2021
NEW! Sign the petition to the environment minister 82 signatures so far
Here They Go Again!
A plan for a $170m Gold Coast Cableway, which will reportedly stretch along a 9km track through National Park from near Neranwood, west of Mudgeeraba to Springbrook is in the news again .
But there is significant opposition as earlier this letter outlines. Also a petition with over 14,000 signatures opposing a cableway was delivered to the state government in March 2021.
A cableway? Again? How many times will this come up? How many times does a community have to say NO? How many times do the reasons why a cableway to Springbrook in Queensland, Australia should never be constructed have to be explained? It is not as though the sensitive environmental circumstances have changed with time. Indeed, it might be that matters have all become much more critical than some years ago.
The broad and specific impacts of a cableway on Springbrook have all been spelled out previously with the failed 1998 Naturelink Proposal. This proposal was refused by the State Government.
It has been reported that proposed cableway to Springbrook, plans to deliver 2000 people a day to a fragile World Heritage region. Depositing 800,000 visitors a year at the head of the Gold Coast water supply catchment.
The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia is already of significant concern. How much more pressure can it withstand?
Springbrook’s significance is underscored by its size. Whilst it is a place of natural beauty, it’s important to recognise that the Springbrook region is listed for its biodiversity, not for its beautiful landscapes, vistas and views, or ‘tourist’ potential. There are few other places in the world that are listed for their unparalleled biodiversity with such a small footprint.
A cableway to Springbrook should never be built and Springbrook needs to be protected from this kind of development for good. Springbrook is a fragile, World Heritage listed region. It is a surprisingly tiny area, a very special island surrounded by a region with some of the most intensive developments in the state.
Less than 5% of the whole state of Queensland is put aside for National Parks, less than any other state in Australia. Our National Parks are for people and nature – not the development playground of politicians and property development investors.
The people of Queensland said no to a cableway to Springbrook 16 years ago, and should not have to use their own resources and time to fight a battle against a development which has already been deemed unsuitable – again!