Chris Dobney
Queensland premier Campbell Newman has killed off a plan for a massive cruise-ship terminal at Kirra Beach after a local campaign headed by world champion surfer Mick Fanning.
The campaign planned a massive paddle-out at the world famous surfing break this coming Sunday in protest against plans by controversial developer Bob Ell, the man behind the Kings Forest and Cobaki estates in the Tweed.
The plan would have seen around a kilometre of beachfront land at Bilinga privatised to build the ‘integrated resort, casino, apartments, shops and restaurants’ and effectively wipe out what’s left of the famous Kirra break.
The premier told News Corp today that the Qld government would ‘simply never entertain the idea of a cruise ship terminal at Kirra Beach’.
‘Our beaches are just too important – not just as a natural wonder or as a place for families and surfers – but also for the central role they play in Gold Coast tourism,’ he said.
‘Tourists have flocked back to the Gold Coast this summer – it’s been the best holiday period in years – and our magnificent beaches are one of the big reasons why,’ premier Newman added.
Campaign organisers of Save Our Southern Beaches Alliance (SOSBA) have applauded the premier ‘for his decisive action to axe the ill-fated endeavour’.
But the paddle-out will go ahead in recognition of the fact that other areas of the Gold Coast are still threatened with similar developments.
SOSBA organisers say the group ‘stands side by side with its northern Gold Coast cousins Save Our Spit’ to oppose an alternative plan for a cruise-ship terminal/casino on public land at Broadwater, which would affect the world-class surfing location of South Stradbroke Island.
‘SOSBA would like to call on the Qld state government to list the 38-kilometre Gold Coast coastal strip from South Straddie to Coolangatta as a world surfing reserve to be heritage listed and ultimately protect our greatest natural assets namely the beach and surf from public land grab,’ they said.
As part of the highly effective campaign, Fanning said the size and visual impact of the proposed development would ‘loom larger than a scene out of the movie Independence Day!’
He added the magnitude of the proposal was ghastly, saying its footprint would be around 94 hectares.
‘This will affect the whole Gold Coast, not only just the local area,’ Fanning said.
The paddle-out will go ahead as planned at 10am Qld time (11am DST)
