DATE: 18 JULY 2017

TO: info@msc.qld.gov.au, TomG@msc.qld.gov.au, Peter@msc.qld.gov.au

CC: AlanP@msc.qld.gov.au, NipperB@msc.qld.gov.au, KevinD@msc.qld.gov.au, MaryG@msc.qld.gov.au, AngelaT@msc.qld.gov.au, LenoreW@msc.qld.gov.au, TomG@msc.qld.gov.au, Peter@msc.qld.gov.au, brianm@msc.qld.gov.au, carle@msc.qld.gov.au, environment@ministerial.qld.gov.au, sdnrm@ministerial.qld.gov.au, Greg.Hunt.MP@aph.gov.au, barron.river@parliament.qld.gov.au, thepremier@premiers.qld.gov.au, Larissa.ferguson@coordinatorgeneral.qld.gov.au, Michele.Bauer@coordinatorgeneral.qld.gov.au, Karen.Oakley@coordinatorgeneral.qld.gov.au, Steven.Tarte@coordinatorgeneral.qld.gov.au

Dear Councillors

This letter must be tabled for the Mareeba Shire Council Meeting 19 July 2017 in reference to the pending decisions on ITEM-5, ITEM-7, ITEM-8 of the meeting agenda.

I was appalled looking at tomorrow’s agenda for your Council meeting. Two large development plans in Myola region (Agenda items 7 and 8) and an application to clear vegetation in Masons Rd, Kuranda (Item 5). Queensland has one of the highest vegetation clearing rates not only in Australia but globally. This region in FNQ, which has high ecological value important for the nature tourism industry,  should be free of such insensitive and intensive development. These high ecological values are a major reason that many people live in Mareeba Shire, particularly in the Kuranda region.

Too often, newcomers buy land in Koah, Speewah or Kuranda, clear every tree to the consternation of their neighbours, , then sell up and are gone in less than a year, leaving devastation behind them. And less habitat for the wildlife we are so lucky to have. Good regional planning would ensure that our regenerating forests are protected for our wildlife, biodiversity and amenity of life for existing residents.

Instead, two applications (agenda 7 and 8) are for reconfiguration of lots to be considered under the 2004 plan, for high density developments in an environmentally fragile area(Myola Valley, Kuranda) that now would no longer be deemed appropriate according to the MSC 2016 plan, the FNQ2031 plan and the SPP(Matters of Environmental significance).

There have been innumerable Cassowary sightings recorded by Kuranda Conservation in those areas, which makes it safe to say it is Cassowary habitat.

The community is under the impression that the Myola precinct which is supposed to validate those applications had been discarded years ago.

After the amalgamation and the TRC 2012 draft plan there was no more mention of the Myola precinct. The FNQ2031 plan also rejected the Myola precinct. The following deamalgamation which was forced upon a Kuranda Region community saw MSC absent of a new planning scheme dig out the old outdated 2004 MSC plan.

This did not validate the Myola precinct which in the mean time had gone through a long feasibility test and subsequently been discarded.

Rural residential subdivisions in an ecologically fragile area which is zoned rural under the MSC 2016 plan, would have been zoned rural under the draft TRC 2012 and was assumed to be zoned rural despite the resurrected MSC 2004 plan would amount to an environmental crime.

Please can you as elected members of the community fulfill its wish, vote for the environment and reject all three applications(including vegetation clearing in Mason Road) to apply the 2004 MSC plan in Kuranda.

Choosing to apply and outdated and rejected 2004 MSC plan would be against your obligations towards the community as elected members. 

It is reasonable to expect Council to stand up for the community and their wishes and defend the values of the new planning scheme, if need be in court, should a developer choose to take legal action.

I am also saddened that the KRPG has not been given permission to speak at the Council meeting.

Thank you,

I trust that you will be brave enough to do what is right for the community and biodiversity.

Maree Treadwell Kerr

[contacts supplied]