Tweed Echo – Issue 3.25 – 03/03/2011

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THE TWEED Volume 3 #25 Thursday, March 3, 2011

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Advertising and news enquiries: Phone: (02) 6672 2280 editor@tweedecho.com.au adcopy@tweedecho.com.au www.tweedecho.com.au

O N A L N A T I R E T VAL I N FESTI F I L M GES 13-16 A SEE P

LOCAL & INDEPENDENT

Kingscliff estate appeal ditched Ken Sapwell and Luis Feliu

Noble Lakeside Park owner, Keith Noble, has abruptly ended his legal challenge against a refusal to allow him to squeeze another 45 homes into his over-50s retirement village at Kingscliff. In a dramatic twist to the long-running saga, Mr Noble directed his legal team to withdraw the appeal on Tuesday after the Land and Environment Court carried out a site inspection and heard evidence from residents.

‘Wasn’t going to pass’ The silver-haired son of the park’s founder said he decided to pull the plug after the court reconvened in Mullumbimby later in the day in view of some of the comments made by the judge ‘It was pretty clear from what [the commissioner] was saying that she wasn’t going to pass it,’ Mr Noble said yesterday. He branded some of the issues – which included concerns about bushfires and geotechnical issues – as ‘silly’. ‘All of the concerns were addressed by Tweed Shire Council when they approved my plans last year,’ he said. ‘But this isn’t the end of the matter. I will be taking out a couple of houses and provide some more open space just to be nice.’ Mr Noble said he would lodge a new DA with Tweed Council valuing the project below $10 million to ensure the government’s new joint regional planning panel (JRPP) didn’t decide it. The millionaire developer lodged his appeal after the JRPP rejected his plans as an over-development of the 22.5 ha site, despite them be-

ing given the green light by council’s own planners. ‘It certainly won’t be going back to the JRPP – it will be dealt with by council,’ he said. Mr Noble said he couldn’t understand the opposition from some of the residents who he claimed were in the minority. ‘Only 40 per cent of the entire site would be occupied by houses and if it’s approved I’ve promised existing residents I will carry out upgrades worth $250,000 to amenities in the park.’ In August, dozens of residents in the 254-home estate cheered the JRPP’s unanimous decision to knock back the canal-style development involving homes built over a man-made lake and supported by stilts. It rejected the application by Mr Noble’s company, Baclon Pty Ltd, mainly because of the impacts on their amenity, flood and drainage concerns and damage to endangered ecological communities in the area where the extra homes were planned to be built. Council planners had also acknowledged similar concerns but applied 96 conditions. Cr Warren Polglase, who is employed by Mr Noble as the park’s caretaker, observed proceedings on Tuesday as residents supporting and opposing the project gave evidence. One of them, John Mulligan, said he and his wife bought their home next to the lake in the park around 13 years ago for their retirement, attracted mainly by the lake and rural outlook. He said Mr Noble gave written and verbal assurances there would be a

Greenmount club marks centenary Third-generation Greenmount (Tweed Heads-Coolangatta) Surf Life Saving Club member, Emma Hickling and Nippers under-12 team manager, Rob Cusbert, on the beach at Greenmount. Photo Jeff Dawson Kate McIntosh

As Tweed Heads and Coolangatta Surf Life Saving Club prepares to celebrate its birthday next weekend, members will be looking back on a history that includes many other significant milestones. Established in 1911, the Greenmount club is Queensland’s oldest surf lifesaving club. It also held the first official surf lifesaving awards, had the first recognised rescue and was home to the world’s first female bronze medallion holder, Edie Kieft. The club was also the first to have junior lifesavers patrolling during World War I and in 1922 formed the state’s first ‘ladies’ lifesaving club. Surf Lifesaving Australia initially refused to award Ms Kieft her medallion because they did not yet recognise women. It was only 68 years later that Ms Kieft finally received her medallion at continued on page 2 a presentation on Greenmount Beach.

In the lead-up to this month’s celebrations the club last year launched its centenary book, 100 Years of Lifesaving. The book was written by retired Terranora journalist Brian Styman and traces the club’s early history to the present day. The club had its beginnings in 1909 after the rescue of a group of people from Murwillumbah on Greenmount Beach.

Not a single life lost The club struggled to survive financially, almost folding several times, before being given a reprieve two years later by a group of local businessmen. Chairman of the club’s centenary committee, Alan Hickling, said not a single life had been lost at Greenmount beach since the club was established. Today the surf club alone has more than 500 members, with about 150

participating in active patrol duties. ‘It’s always been a part of the community. It was a big thing in those early days; it still is,’ Mr Hickling said. Weekend-long centenary celebrations get underway on March 11, with a members-only function followed by a private cocktail party at Twin Towns on March 12. The public is invited to attend the main celebrations on March 13, with entertainment, music and club promotions getting underway at 11.30am (DST). Magician Simon Heart will be performing, as well as renowned hypnotist Mark Anthony. Children will be entertained with a jumping castle, balloon making and face painting. A memorabilia display will also be held upstairs in the club, with the Centenary Book available for sale, as well as other club mementos. For more details about centenary celebrations planned contact the club on 07 5536 1506.

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