Thursday, August 24, 2023

Issue:

Mackay and Whitsunday Life

Save Our Foreshore

Launch Art Exhibition Fundraiser

The dedicated volunteers from Save Our Foreshore (SOF) have gathered more momentum within the community following the announcement that an art exhibition and auction will soon take place to raise much-needed funds for the upcoming court case.

The local activists are currently taking Whitsunday Regional Council (WRC) to court to fight against the approval of a 47-metre, 12-story high-rise on the low flat land adjacent to Port of Airlie.

They believe that the high-rise hotel development completely contradicts the current Airlie Beach Town Plan which outlines a four to five-storey maximum height restriction.

So far, SOF has garnered objections from 2242 people, 87 per cent of which were living in Queensland and 64 per cent were locals to Airlie Beach.

Despite the objections, WRC Councillors approved the development last year and since then an ongoing legal battle has ensued.

Director of Planning and Development for WRC, Neil McGaffin, said that Council would not have approved a development if the facts did not “stack up” and that the project has “very positive impacts for Airlie Beach”.

Meanwhile, SOF is outraged that a height restriction change of this magnitude has been approved without sufficient community consultation.

It is estimated that legal costs for SOF could amount to $150,000 and expert witnesses are currently in discussions ahead of a final verdict, expected in April.

“This development should never have gone this far,” said Suzette Peel from SOF.

“Our Councillors mustn’t accept blindly what is put in front of them – they need to question, and they need to listen to the community.

Representing SOF in the court case is Chris Buckley who successfully won the last development battle which saw SOF appeal a foreshore development in Airlie Beach in 2006.

Nearly 20 years on and they are in the midst of another battle but feel buoyed by the community support.

One of these passionate community members is owner of 3 Little Birds Espresso, Joan Hunter.

“People come here to relax and unwind,” she said.

“And we just don’t think people come here for high-rises. We understand that the town needs to progress but there has to be another way. That’s why we decided to help.”

3 Little Birds Espresso have a large, dedicated art space next door to their café, and they have kindly donated this space for an art exhibition to raise funds for ongoing legal costs.

Meanwhile, SOF has been gratefully receiving donations from local artists who have kindly offered their work for auction.

So far there are over 15 artworks up for grabs and Suzette expects there will be more to come.

The Art Exhibition Fundraiser will take place at the end of March and organisers are planning a lively Wine and Cheese evening to raise both awareness and much-needed funds.

“We are not anti-progress by any means,” said Suzette.

“Our job is to simply protect public parkland, to keep our parklands open and available to everybody.

“There are plenty of building sites still in Airlie Beach – look at Funnel Bay a development with hundreds of rooms approved – it’s just the location at Port of Airlie, that’s the problem.”

A date for the Art Exhibition is still to be confirmed.

Dennis Mundle from SOF, Joan Hunter and Pauline Kupa-Morgan owners of 3 Little Birds Espresso and Suzette Peel from SOF. Photo credit: Rachael Smith

The 12-storey, 47 metre high-rise that is currently planned for Port of Airlie

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