The “water issue”: For those interested in the history of one of several costly Planning & Environment Court appeals re:- commercial groundwater extraction on the Mountain, please access the documents publicly available on the Court’s website at File Summary (courts.qld.gov.au) Scroll down to “Documents”. https://apps.courts.qld.gov.au/esearching/FileDetails.aspx?Location=BRISB&Court=DISTR&Filenumber=1894/21

This appeal clearly established that the only avenues to limit groundwater extraction were the number of truck movements per week, the composition of the articulated and rigid vehicle movements per week and the total extraction permitted per week (896,000 litres) – not the final destination of the water. Note that the final paragraph of Her Honour Judge Kefford’s Judgement made on 21 March 2022 makes provision for an increase in the maximum volume of groundwater which can be extracted with the written agreement of the extractor and SRRC “in emergency circumstances only, such as supply of drinking water in drought conditions…”. Please also read Jon Krause MP’s column on page 10 of the Scenic News of 14 September 2023.
Cost of the IGA roundabout landscaping: $10,120.75. Be thankful it didn’t require a handrail!
Development Applications of interest: (Source: DAP Online). Refused: CAR23/076 200 Hartley Rd – setbacks. Approved: MCU23/104 55-81 Kaiser Rd – minor change to approval – dwelling house & secondary dwelling; CAR23/075 95 Coomera Gorge Drive – front boundary setback variation – carport & additions to house; CAR23/077 – 26 Long Rd – shed, side boundary setback. Lodged: MCU23/132 – 200 Hartley Rd - Dwelling house Establishment or extension; MCU23/127 – 2-20 Holt Rd – Domestic outbuilding size variation; Building Envelope amendment 23/011 – 282 Main Western Rd; and a rare application indeed - a tourism development actually in the Minor Tourism Zone! MCU23/128 197-207 Long Rd (Jasmin Organics) – short-term accommodation, food & drink outlet. No documents are yet available for most of the above.
SRRC Grant recipients: Tamborine Mtn Lions Club $2,820 Dancing with celebrities 2023; Tamborine Mtn Chamber of Commerce & Industry $3,080 Scarecrow Festival; Tamborine Mtn Community Kindergarten $20,000 fencing; Tamborine Mtn Orchestral & Choral Society $4,992 concerts; Tamborine Mtn Golf Club $18,000 front deck, railing & shade sail; Tamborine Mtn Community Care $3,600 Proactive Cognitive Health for an Ageing Population. Unsuccessful: Tamborine Mtn Show Society $11,394 for showground lighting; Tamborine Mtn Botanic Gardens $15,070 for Camellia Garden Path. There are no further major funding rounds for this financial year, however, watch out for Round 2 of minor grants. Tamborine Mtn Landcare also received an environmental grant of $25,000 for its Tamborine Mountain Corridors Regeneration Project.
Out and About: ‘Tis the season for school events. I had the pleasure of attending Tamborine Mountain State High School’s Crossroads of History exhibition on 11th September. Well done to the staff and students on presenting such a varied and interesting cross-section of world (and local) history, ranging from ancient Egypt to Vikings and, more locally, Camp Cable, which was the site of a 40,000-strong US military base during WWII. More info: Place | Queensland WWII Historic Places (ww2places.qld.gov.au)
Springtime on the Mountain: Date claimer: 29 & 30th September. There will be 5 open gardens this year, some with plant stalls and singing. Cost is $20 for access to all gardens or $5 per garden for those lacking the stamina to visit all 5. I’ve just returned from Toowoomba’s Carnival of Flowers, so having some gardens close together will be good! Former Toowoomba Mayor Paul Antonio was up for a chat and explained the fierce competitiveness between the staff responsible for Queens Park and Laurel Bank Park. Council staff were happy to discuss plantings, seasonal weather issues and growing their annuals from seed. As the SRRC portfolio holder for Parks, Gardens & Open Spaces a bit of networking was involved. It was a personal trip, not funded by Council.
Australian Citizenship Ceremony 13 September: Congratulations to the Mountain’s four newest Aussies – Paul (from Wales), Timothy, Paul and Lesley (all from the UK). I won’t ask why it took one of them 55 years to make the leap!
Topics of concern raised recently: Ongoing Shelf Road issues, fire trails, setbacks, subdivision enquiries, wind turbines, feral cats, stormwater issues (a regular issue), overgrown allotments, line marking and potholes.
Fact sheet: Planning for the risk of landslide hazard and steep slope – June 2023: Community Advice Templates re Scenic Rim Planning Scheme 2020 This issue is of interest given Nature-based Tourism applications currently either under consideration by Council or already before the Court on appeal.
2024 Australia Day Awards: Nominations now open: Australia Day Awards – Scenic Rim Regional Council
Garage Sale Trail – registrations now open: Garage Sale Trail 2023 What better way to recycle?
 
“Do No Harm”
I can be contacted on 0448 376 650 or via e-mail at amanda.h@scenicrim.qld.gov.au
Cr Amanda Hay
Division 1