Noosa Today - 28th January 2022

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Friday, 28 January, 2022

Major Sponsor Contributing to water safety

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North Shore in crisis part two

Remembering a conservation icon

Noosa claims state title

40-page liftout Property Guide

PAGES 4-5

PAGE 12

PAGE 46

INSIDE

PR OP ER TY

Glossies stand off “Just sad,“ was how 11-yearold Spencer Hitchen said he felt when earthmovers on Monday knocked down feed trees that sustain his beloved Glossy Black Cockatoos to make way for a Uniting Church development at Sunrise Beach. “It’s not good,“ he said. For the past few years Spencer and his mother Maxine have spearheaded a campaign with Glossy Team Sunrise to save five hectares of native habitat approved a decade earlier for development of a Blue Care aged care home and retirement village. The campaign has amassed more than 68,000 signatures on a petition and scientists across Australia and internationally have voiced their support. The campaign took a sudden change Monday when, with Noosa Council approvals in hand, Blue Care forged ahead with its plans and police were called on the conservation group. Read more on page 3 Spencer and Maxine Hitchen face police officers on Grasstree Court, Sunrise Beach. 266000 Picture: ROB MACCOLL

Resort objection By Jim Fagan

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A proposal to build a five-storey, 112-room hotel with luxury suites, three tennis courts and two swimming pools at Noosa Springs Resort and Spa is to be considered by Noosa Council, most likely at its March 17 meeting. And already more than 500 objections from homeowners from Noosa Springs, Parkridge, The Oasis and Elysium, as well as local golf-

ers, have been submitted to the council saying they don’t like it and they don’t want it. They have also sent a 21-point public impact statement outlining their opposition to the $29 million proposal. The property is owned by Chinese company Golden Horse Nine Dragon Lake Holdings, a major Hong Kong-based real estate and resort developer, which bought the land and spa eight years ago.

Leading the fight for the objectors are former State MP and local body councillor, Earle Bailey and architect John Cochrane, a specialist in residential, commercial and hospitality developments. Both men live at Noosa Springs. “This is a very bad proposal. It is substantially wrong,” Mr Bailey told Noosa Today. “The so-called boutique hotel is six times bigger than typical boutique accommodation. “Two-thirds of the land, which will be taken

up by the hotel, is not zoned for development – it is zoned open space/recreation. It will adversely affect every person who lives here. “And not only villa owners but our koalas as well. If the development is approved, it will mean tearing out koala habitat trees and relocating them to somewhere else. Mr Bailey said bushfires in the area were a serious concern. Continued page 2


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