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Great Keppel Island
SAVED by PETER GARRETT
CCC Congratulates Peter Garrett and the Federal government for rejecting the Tower Holdings proposal
Capricorn Conservation Council's position -
1. CCC opposes the development of Lot 21 (875 ha) for 1700 villas. The current lease of Lot 21 is for recreation purposes, not real estate.
2. CCC opposes the building of a marina at Putney Beach due to the damage that this could cause to the marine environment in the vicinity including fringing coral reefs.
3. CCC supports the re-development of the resort on the site of the existing resort where an area of 38 hectares is available (including the airstrip)
read more >>> GKI Background >>
In addition CCC urges the Queensland Government to enforce lease conditions so that lessees who do not properly manage their land are penalised, especially when it involves environmental mismanagement. Lessees should not be granted lease extensions unless they have demonstrated appropriate management of their leases.
Here is Peter Garrett's press release:
GREAT KEPPEL ISLAND RESORT IMPACTS NOT ACCEPTABLE
Environment Minister Peter Garrett has deemed a proposal for a tourist resort and facilities on Great Keppel Island clearly unacceptable under national environment law.
A decision that a project is clearly unacceptable is made when it is determined the proposal will have unacceptable impacts on nationally protected matters.
“I’ve looked closely at what’s being proposed for the island and considered my department’s recommendation, and I’ve concluded that a project of this size and density would lead to unacceptable impacts on the World Heritage and National Heritage values of the area including the Great Barrier Reef.
“The impacts on inshore coral communities, coastal wetlands, marine species, island flora and geological formations of a development of this huge scale would be simply too great—these are the very values that earned the area's world heritage status,” Mr Garrett said.
“I believe these impacts could not be lessened or managed to an acceptable level and would permanently damage and degrade these values.
“The Great Barrier Reef is one of the world’s most precious environments and brings billions of dollars to our economy each year.
"Just last month the Government released the Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report which clearly identifies climate change, catchment runoff, loss of coastal habitats and fisheries management as key challenges facing the Reef.
"That report specifically identified coastal development and the pressures placed on the wider Great Barrier Reef ecosystem as challenges that have to be carefully and rigorously managed.
“I’m certainly not opposed to appropriate development of our tourist icons, but I am responsible for ensuring that development proceeds in a manner that is consistent with our obligations to protect the World Heritage area for present and future generations to enjoy. These responsibilities are enshrined in our national environmental law, and in applying that law I have determined that this proposal would have unacceptable impacts on the very natural and heritage values that make this region so unique.
“In making my decision I also took into account a study carried last year by the Queensland EPA which recommended that the area in question be retained in an undeveloped state and designated as a Protected Area under Queensland legislation.”
“The proponent is welcome to submit an alternative proposal in the future which does not have this level of impact on those values and I would certainly welcome that.”
The GKI Resort Pty Ltd proposal includes a 300-room hotel and day spa, 1700 resort villas, 300 Resort Apartments, a 560 Berth marina and yacht club, ferry terminal, retail village, golf course and sporting oval.
It was referred to the department on 22 September 2009 to determine whether it needed to undergo the federal environmental assessment and approval process.
<<MR Great Keppel Resort 301009.pdf>>
Background
The holiday resort on Great Keppel Island was bought by Tower Holdings some years ago but after operating it for less than two years they closed the resort. Tower now plan to redevelop the resort but not just on the old resort site, but by spreading villas and a golf course over a vast area of the island. . . . . read more >>>
Read more from our EPBC submission >
Impacts on the Great Barrier Reef
Cultural heritage
Migratory Species
Threatened Ecosystems
Threatened Species
Environmental History
Qld Coastal Management Plan
or download our whole submission to the EPBC (pdf 2.5mb)
See our on-line petition
SAVED by PETER GARRETT
CCC Congratulates Peter Garrett and the Federal government for rejecting the Tower Holdings proposal
Capricorn Conservation Council's position -
1. CCC opposes the development of Lot 21 (875 ha) for 1700 villas. The current lease of Lot 21 is for recreation purposes, not real estate.
2. CCC opposes the building of a marina at Putney Beach due to the damage that this could cause to the marine environment in the vicinity including fringing coral reefs.
3. CCC supports the re-development of the resort on the site of the existing resort where an area of 38 hectares is available (including the airstrip)
read more >>> GKI Background >>
In addition CCC urges the Queensland Government to enforce lease conditions so that lessees who do not properly manage their land are penalised, especially when it involves environmental mismanagement. Lessees should not be granted lease extensions unless they have demonstrated appropriate management of their leases.
Rally on Great Keppel Island Sunday 18 Oct
Here is Peter Garrett's press release:
GREAT KEPPEL ISLAND RESORT IMPACTS NOT ACCEPTABLE
Environment Minister Peter Garrett has deemed a proposal for a tourist resort and facilities on Great Keppel Island clearly unacceptable under national environment law.
A decision that a project is clearly unacceptable is made when it is determined the proposal will have unacceptable impacts on nationally protected matters.
“I’ve looked closely at what’s being proposed for the island and considered my department’s recommendation, and I’ve concluded that a project of this size and density would lead to unacceptable impacts on the World Heritage and National Heritage values of the area including the Great Barrier Reef.
“The impacts on inshore coral communities, coastal wetlands, marine species, island flora and geological formations of a development of this huge scale would be simply too great—these are the very values that earned the area's world heritage status,” Mr Garrett said.
“I believe these impacts could not be lessened or managed to an acceptable level and would permanently damage and degrade these values.
“The Great Barrier Reef is one of the world’s most precious environments and brings billions of dollars to our economy each year.
"Just last month the Government released the Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report which clearly identifies climate change, catchment runoff, loss of coastal habitats and fisheries management as key challenges facing the Reef.
"That report specifically identified coastal development and the pressures placed on the wider Great Barrier Reef ecosystem as challenges that have to be carefully and rigorously managed.
“I’m certainly not opposed to appropriate development of our tourist icons, but I am responsible for ensuring that development proceeds in a manner that is consistent with our obligations to protect the World Heritage area for present and future generations to enjoy. These responsibilities are enshrined in our national environmental law, and in applying that law I have determined that this proposal would have unacceptable impacts on the very natural and heritage values that make this region so unique.
“In making my decision I also took into account a study carried last year by the Queensland EPA which recommended that the area in question be retained in an undeveloped state and designated as a Protected Area under Queensland legislation.”
“The proponent is welcome to submit an alternative proposal in the future which does not have this level of impact on those values and I would certainly welcome that.”
The GKI Resort Pty Ltd proposal includes a 300-room hotel and day spa, 1700 resort villas, 300 Resort Apartments, a 560 Berth marina and yacht club, ferry terminal, retail village, golf course and sporting oval.
It was referred to the department on 22 September 2009 to determine whether it needed to undergo the federal environmental assessment and approval process.
<<MR Great Keppel Resort 301009.pdf>>
Background
The holiday resort on Great Keppel Island was bought by Tower Holdings some years ago but after operating it for less than two years they closed the resort. Tower now plan to redevelop the resort but not just on the old resort site, but by spreading villas and a golf course over a vast area of the island. . . . . read more >>>
Read more from our EPBC submission >
Impacts on the Great Barrier Reef
Cultural heritage
Migratory Species
Threatened Ecosystems
Threatened Species
Environmental History
Qld Coastal Management Plan
or download our whole submission to the EPBC (pdf 2.5mb)
See our on-line petition
Read comments from on-line petition >>>
Read what our local elected representatives think of Tower's plans