Beerburrum community not giving up Contributed by the Beerburrum Acton Group The following is a response from the Beerburrum Action Group to the article in last week’s GC&M News in which Barro Group general manager (Queensland) Ian Ridoutt gave the company’s perspective on the quarry application rejection. Sunshine Coast Council’s decision to reject the quarry application, as most residents know by now, has been appealed by the Victorian developer Barro Group. The council has lodged its intention to fight the appeal and defend its decision to support the Beerburrum and Sunshine Coast communities. On March 28, division 1 councillor Rick Baberowski and his fellow councillors – with one exception – decided that a quarry in Beerburrum was neither warranted nor welcome. Barro Group’s representatives seem to forget that the Sunshine Coast councillors were elected to office by the various Sunshine Coast communities – NOT the council’s planning staff – and these councillors have demonstrated that they have listened to and acted – rightly – on behalf of their electors. Mr Ridoutt states that "the site of the Burrum quarry is one of the best on the whole of the Sunshine Coast". He is using narrative such as land use zonings, planning instruments, existing legislation, etc. However, what he doesn’t mention is the attractive cost savings that a quarry in this “handy” location would bring to
SHOP 3 28 SIMPSON St bEERwAH
his company but at a devastating cost to the Beerburrum community, for which his company has shown no regard. The Sunshine Coast is currently serviced by ten hard rock quarries with a combined licence to supply 6.65 million tonnes. On a yearly average only 2-3 million tonnes have been needed. As Cr Baberowski argued at the council meeting: “Do we actually need another quarry?” A quarry in our small town, with 160 or more truck movements per day passing the school and small business precinct as well as residents’ homes, would do enormous damage to the current plans being developed by National Parks in conjunction with the council to invest in Beerburrum. Our unique environment and the area’s links to our nation’s heritage will benefit the town itself and the entire Sunshine Coast community as a tourist destination for Australian and international visitors. The construction of a quarry with its resulting truck movements through the town centre will detract, both directly and indirectly from not only Beerburrum but from the entire Sunshine Coast community. In addition, it is anticipated that the already constructed walking tracks through the Glass House Mountains National Park, along with the new trail head currently under construction next
COURTESY BUS NOW RUNNING Wed - Sat from 5pm Sunday 11am-3pm
PHONE ORDERS
5494 0880
Glass House Mountains Best Kept Secret!
beerwah
chinese
DINING TIMES LUNCH Wed - Sun 12 - 2pm DINNER Wed - Sat 6 - 8pm
takeaway
all for
FAMILY PACK
to the school, will encourage even more visitors to historic Beerburrum and the surrounding hinterland, creating a knock-on effect for the entire Sunshine Coast community with the likely additions of accommodation houses, restaurants, shops, etc, resulting in added trade enabling businesses to prosper and expand. This will not occur if our village is turned into a dusty, noisy, smelly haulage route for massive quarry trucks. The Barro company has demonstrated a lack of care and empathy for the wellbeing of our local communities. Additionally, the cost to expand and accommodate the infrastructure that this proposed operation would need is one that ratepayers must necessarily bear.
30
$
Friday from 6pm and Sunday 12pm
only
lunch special
Fri & Sat nights Salad & vege bar
Have coffee and cake all day every day
7
$
• Large Fried Rice • Sweet & Sour Pork* • Chicken & Almond* • Steak & Black Bean sauce* • 6 x mini Spring Rolls • 2 x cans of soft drink
ANY Steak, Chicken or Pork dish with ½ Fried Rice & 1 can soft drink
FRIDAY MORNING 9am for 9.30am start
(*meal substitutions permitted)
only available before 4:30pm
10% discount at Matilda Fruit & Veg on presentation of Club Glass House membership card
*MENTION THIS AD OR BRING IT IN WHEN ORDERING TO RECEIVE THESE OFFERS*
LUNCH
DINNER
Tuesday to Friday 11:00am to 2:30pm
Tuesday to Sunday 4:00pm to 8:30pm
Glasshouse Country & Maleny News
CASH BINGO CURRENT JACKPOT $200
NEW POKER MACHINES ON-LINE NOW
10 Coonowrin Rd Glass House Mts (next door to the community hall) www.clubglasshouse.com.au
5436 5000
Information for Members and Bonafide guests
5
