Selling Queensland’s National Parks
Proposed site of ten luxury private units at Poona Lake
Greg Wood, long term Rainbow Beach resident
The thoughts reflected in this article are those of the author. Rainbow Beach Community News welcomes all viewpoints and opinions.
Can you imagine 10 private fully serviced luxury units at Poona Lake in Cooloola National Park? Imagine 10 more at Double Island Point. Private luxury cabins, built and operated on thirty-year land leases granted upon uniquely beautiful and fragile public sites.
This might sound crazy but it’s about to happen. Without public intervention, five sites inside of Cooloola National Park will have private development leases finalised, developed, and operational in the first half of next year.
The State Government has similar plans for a number of other Queensland National Parks. If you disagree with this, your help is needed to stop it.
Go to www.protectparks.net for more detail on the proposal and how to object.
Under this new plan, $600-$1000/night will buy a very special holiday in some of Cooloola National Park’s most special places. Additional to a good income, the “eco-tourist” clients will also need to be either oblivious or careless toward the damage their privileged experience imposes upon significant site values and to public equity.
Most people understand the obvious tragedy of degrading the Poona Lake basin’s pristine character and sensitive ecology with a 5000m2 accommodation area and a new service road for daily delivery of visitor “needs”. Those who require a 38m2 fully serviced luxury cabin and 5-star gourmet fare to enjoy Poona Lake may fail to comprehend the catastrophic change their extreme “needs” impose upon it.
Do you agree or disagree with the proposed development?
Let us know at info@rbcn.com.au
Double Island Point is a spectacular headland and an iconic public place. Private units with stunning ocean views will easily sell in a global marketplace that has few unspoiled places, and ever less that remain free to the public.
How long then before 10 units become 20, and so on? At what point would public access to the headland be curtailed to protect private asset security and the amenity of high-paying clients? This is not wild speculation. It is exactly how free market forces impact upon public assets.
The Government’s decision to create private development leases inside our National Parks was made without any public engagement. Two very short, very limited public engagements have occurred on operational aspects of the Cooloola development proposal.
These are best described as public management processes rather than consultation. The latter requires transparent and accurate delivery of information and response to concerns. We believe nothing remotely like that has been provided.
Private development in our National Parks will be another cane toad. If it gets loose, we’ll never get rid of it or its toxic impacts.
Please go to www.protectparks.net to help us stop this monster.
An information stall will be at the Rainbow Beach market on 11 December and the Tin Can Bay Market on 18 December.
