Council urged to drop Springbrook Cableway ‘mission’; listen to locals

A coalition of environment groups are gravely concerned that the Gold Coast Council is pushing ahead with a cableway proposal in World Heritage listed Springbrook National Park without First Nations agreement or community consultation, and despite likely "devastating consequences" for threatened species and ecosystems.

Today the Gold Coast Council’s Economy, Tourism and Events Committee discussed a report into the Springbrook Cableway to "seek Council decision on the way forward", despite the report noting native title applicants Danggan Balun people provided formal advice that they do not support the Springbrook Cableway and do not want the project to proceed.

Gecko Environment Council, along with Queensland Conservation Council and National Parks Association of Queensland is calling on the Crisafulli Government to rule out a cableway through the World Heritage listed Springbrook National Park and commit to meaningful consultation with local communities before announcing plans for developments in and around protected areas.

Gecko Environment Council Campaigner Lois Levy said

As a conservationist involved in the original and subsequent cableway proposals all of which failed to recognise the environmental damage and safety risks of such a project, I urge Council to give up on this push.

A cableway to Springbrook would significantly impact threatened species and increase risk of fire and landslip in the National Park. It would completely endanger the integrity of this small National Park which is home to exceptional wildlife and habitat.

Gecko Environment Council is concerned that community consultation will be flawed. How can a community member make an informed decision with little information about the environmental, social, cultural and economic facts?

Gecko urges Council to find another project to celebrate the unique natural and cultural values of our World Heritage listed National Parks. Gecko strongly recommends investigating a world-class World Heritage Centre either at Springbrook or Mudgeeraba with the opportunity for locally-based tourism companies to take visitors to various sites in the hinterland.

Even the Council’s own report says that cableways are nothing new to attract more visitors, but an internationally renowned World Heritage Centre may just do that. There is nothing like it in Queensland’s southeast.

Queensland Conservation Council Protected Areas Campaigner Nicky Moffat said

The Gold Coast City Council needs to either come clean to the public on their plans, or preferably to abandon this flawed project. The public still don’t have the details of the cable car, where it will go, or who the proponent is.

We know that the native title applicants for the study area are opposed, and the Council has committed $500,000 on a project that appears to be a non-starter because of the likely environmental impacts on Springbrook National Park, and lack of traditional owner consent.

We are unclear on the position of the State Government. Premier Crisafulli has told QCC he will not support any cable car project in the Gold Coast hinterland that will damage the environment, so we are calling on him to publicly rule out support for any project that involves impacts within national parks, especially World Heritage areas, or proposals opposed by traditional owners.

National Parks Association of Queensland CEO Chris Thomas said

Tourism benefits greatly from our wonderful natural assets in Queensland, and brings visitors and prosperity to regions. But tourism in protected areas will be hindered by an approach that takes shortcuts around necessary community consultation.

We urge the Crisafulli Government to have a more considered approach and to value the opinions and expertise of Traditional owners, local residents, tour operators, conservationists, and the scientific community who all treasure this renowned world heritage area.

Share Tweet Email