Palm
Cove News
Tropical North Queensland
MARCH 2007
False Cape fury not going away
ALTHOUGH
authorities and the courts have given the green light to False Cape
developers, public protest against the project is increasing, the president
of Save Our Slopes said at a rally on Feb 24.
Architect
Mark Buttrose said the movement was developing "quite a roll."
"Whereas
last year we were just a small band who jumped in front of bulldozers
to make a point, the whole town seems to be coming on side," he
told Palm Cove News.
Mr
Buttrose, who promised more rallies, said the future of the resort and
its roadway was still subject to court action; but the issue was not
a matter of legality, it was a matter of morality.
"If
we give in on False Cape, this will set the stage for increasing destruction
of Cairns' Scenic Rim," he said.
The
rally was held at the esplanade lagoon in atrocious weather when 200
people attended carrying umbrellas and placards saying SAVE FALSE CAPE.
Speakers
included mayor candidate for March 2008 Val Schier, John Rainbird of
Cairns & Far North Environment Centre, and Percy Neil, an official
at Yarrabah.
Aboriginal
Mr Neil said his people didn't really understand the significance of
False Cape, but the few who did were divided between those who saw it
as an opportunity for jobs and those who opposed it for religious and
cultural reasons.
Mr
Buttrose said that Premier Beattie had the power to stop the development.
"He
did it for Trinity Point Development and we hope he will do it for False
Cape. Only he can do it. Please write or email Mr Beattie," he
said.
Details
of the project can be seen on www.falsecape.org.au.
People
wishing to write to Mr Beattie should address their letters to:
The Hon Peter Beattie, MP
2/541 Boundary St
Spring Hill Qld 4000
or emails to:
brisbane.central@parliament.qld.gov.au
You
should include your name, address, and phone number..
Editorial
AS
READERS of this newsletter are probably aware, this publication has
become apolitical with one exception : we are wholly opposed to development
of the hillslopes of Cairns.
Our
reasons? We like them that way; the tourists like them that way; they
are a potential valuable resource for the industry catering for our
internationally popular tourist destination.
It's
only a matter of time before the brochures mention not only the reef
and the rainforests but also the hillslopes.
Palm
Cove residents and business people who want to keep virginal the slopes
which overlook Palm Cove - and we know there are many from your letters
sent to the council last April - will no doubt be interested in the
current False Cape controversy.
What
happens at False Cape could well happen at Palm Cove : a resort, a hundred
houses bespoiling our treasure.
It
is easy for people to call protestors ragbags and attention getters,
but one wonders if this is the case.
The
protestors appear to be sensible, rational people concerned only about
the preservation of our scenic rim.
Why
are they concerned?
One
speaker said he feared a guilty conscience on his deathbed when he realized
he might have had a chance to stop the destruction of something beautiful
and didn't.
Worse,
he feared a child saying : "Grandpa, when you had a chance to stop
it, why didn't you?"
In
our search for the mighty dollar, we see our world becoming uglier.
We should take a little time off to smell the roses and admire their
beauty.
Of
all the people in Cairns, (except those who own a block of land on the
hillslopes), not one would want to see more houses on our slopes.
Q.
What is beautiful about a house on a hillslope?
A
: Nothing.
Q.
: What is beautiful about a virginal tropical hillslope?
A.
: Everything.
Q.
: What is a virginal tropical hillslope?
A. : A thing of beauty and a joy forever.
We
must all realize our scenic rim is beautiful in its virginal state.
We also have a moral duty to future generations to keep it that way.
Letter to Editor
I've
been reading your newsletter for some time now and have found it a great
source of information, particularly the back issues which are thoughtfully
included on your site.
My
wife and I regularly holiday in Palm Cove and have been looking at property
for some time with a view to moving there permanently.... Morris Porteous,
Sydney
gallmore@ozemail.com.au
HAVING received the odd comment like the above about back copies, we
thought you might like a reference for some of the main stories since
we started archives in Feb 2001. They are :
02/2001
Blazing Saddles fire
04/2001
Prawn net
07/2001
Underwater weddings
08/2001
No fun in the sun
09/2001
History Part 1
10/2001
History Part 2
11/2001
History Part 3
12/2001
Veivers Rd footpath
02/2002
Keanu Reeves
03/2002
Cove's profile
05/2002
Crime in Cove
06/2002
Carnival
08/2002
Double Island
09/2002
Parking meters
12/2002
Leigh Ratcliffe
02/2003
Topless waitress
03/2003
Speed limits
04/2003
Surf club
06/2003
Irukandji beat-up
08/2003
Growing too fast?
10/2003
Fiesta success
11/2003
Underwater wedding
03/2004
Double Island
04/2004
Rain in the 50s
06/2004
Caryota Close site
09/2004
Bill Clinton
12/2004
Mango Lagoon
02/2005
Dog attack
03/2005
Cairns Plan
06/2005
Public meeting
08/2005
Double Island
09/2005
Rates increase
11/2005
Fiesta success
12/2005
Goldfinch Park
01/2006
Melaleucas
02/2006
Mt Buchan
03/2006
Cooktown
04/2006
Hillslopes attack!
05/2006
Cyclone Larry
06/2006
Cove's boundaries
07/2006
Par 3 golf course
10/2006
The Royal Palm Cove
11/2006
Fiesta fun
12/2006
Tourist slogan
01/2007
Another irukandji
Business change
Allan
& Liene Prince's Godwin Witten real estate business has been taken
over by Renate Pattinson with partners Jean-Claude & Barbara Chauvin-Hartman.
They have renamed the business Palm Cove Real Estate. The office adjoins
Palm Cove Post Office.
Published
by Jerry Dukes
52 Terebra St
Palm Cove 4879 QLD
Ph 4059 1610 Fax 4059 0058
Email : info@palmcovenewsletter.com
On website : http://www.palmcovenewsletter.com
Palm
Cove's Official Website: http://www.palmcove.net