Do you have an opinion to share? Submit a Letter to the Editor at Sunshine Coast News via news@sunshinecoastnews.com.au. You must include your name and suburb for accountability, credibility and transparency. Preference will be give to letters of 100 words or less.
- Read the story: $220m development proposal for city centre
It would be beyond simple to lose 85cm in the design of a building like this. Why do developers think the rules don’t apply to their application? Why would the politicians encourage them by even discussing it?
Tim Juratowitch, Alexandra Headland
- Read the story: Rows of campervans by waterfront draw ire from locals
People need somewhere to park up, swim, surf, eat, shower rest, sleep etc. Why do councils not provide rest areas, like the one on the intersection of Caloundra Road and the Bruce Highway at Glenview but in a better location?
Or possibly regulate car parks at night, so they can arrive after 6pm and must be gone by 6am, so day users can enjoy the area. Charge a small, affordable fee like $10 a night paid through an app to cover toilet cleaning and toilet paper costs.
Regardless of what laws or regulations exist, people will park up and enjoy the beach, park, city, cafes and so on.
Peter Dunlop, Nambour
I have been a Noosa local for 43 years now. I used to go surfing at the Noosa River mouth or Spit every day for years but I have stopped going because of these disrespectful camping backpackers and tourists that are taking up all of the car parks. It’s not only at the mouth car park but anywhere they feel like, including the Noosa Civic shopping centre car park so that they can use the free showers there. They also camp behind the old cinema in the Junction.
These individuals should have their passports taken from them and cancel their work visas because they are not working, that’s for sure. If I took my camper trailer and set up camp at any of the car parks near or around the Spit I would get moved on real quick so how is this issue any different? This has been going on for years now so do something. There’s no such thing as a free ride – as locals we work hard to live here on the coast yet there are freeloaders using the bushes as toilets and making our beaches their home. Million-dollar waterfront living for free – come on.
Joey Williams, Boreen Point
- Read the story: ‘Critical’ $400m congestion-busing plan revealed
We are now hearing how the LNP are going to sort out our traffic problems with new roads, traffic lights and roundabouts to reduce gridlock going into Caloundra’s Bulcock Street.
In the meantime, how about a large sign before the lights at Sugar Bag Road and a slip road indicating this road to get to all the beaches: Moffat, Kings, Shelly? Surely, this would take a huge number of holidaymakers and residents off Caloundra Road entering the industrial/business stretch? A speed limit could be enforced when passing Caloundra State High School each morning and afternoon, as happens at schools on Nicklin Way. Surely, a simple and effective solution at very little cost?
Nicklin Way/Pelican Waters Boulevard is a nightmare. The current traffic light system is just not working. Please could we have proper traffic lights at each junction, as at any other four-way intersection. They work. The current ones don’t.
Jenni Hesse, Pelican Waters
- Read the story: A leash in the hand is worth more than one under the foot
This is ridiculous and overzealous. A warning would have been sufficient.
The council spokesperson said the organisation took a strong stance in relation to responsible animal ownership. I strongly disagree with that statement from the council. For the last three years we have been subjected, at times, to incessant, non-stop barking from the dog next door to us. I spent months trying to get the owner to take responsibility for his animal and when that didn’t work I lodged a complaint with council. I had warned the neighbour that I would be doing so. I supplied council with a barking log that covered months and did everything that was asked of me. The owner, on the other hand, did nothing.
They just get away with it, doing nothing about the dog’s barking as they know that council will do nothing. The council employee told me that I just have to put up with it as it’s a difficult problem to solve. The toll that this has taken on our family cannot be put into words. I wish the council did take a strong stance in relation to animal ownership, but they don’t. They just go for the easy option.
‘Frustrated Neighbour’, Buderim
- Read the story: Contractor appointed to billion-dollar rail line
The contract to duplicate the rail line from Beerburrum to Nambour has been let for $1.004b, so why is the cost of a new line from Beerburrum to Caloundra repeatedly predicted to cost $5.2b? The corridor has already been reserved, so that no resumptions are included in the cost and the land is relatively flat and no large creeks need to be bridged. The high quote seems to be an excuse to do nothing.
I could understand it if the ridiculous quote was for extending the line through to Noosa and back to the main line at Eumundi.
Alan Ward, Buderim
- Read the story: Proposal to set up church in rural residential home
If they will not eat or drink with anyone but the Brethren, we do not want another crazy religion.
John Borrill, Little Mountain
- Read the story: Your say and Mayor frustrated by 11th-hour move on multi-storey projects
I am writing to voice my opinion on the proposed affordable housing projects at Noosa Junction and in Tewantin.
While I recognise the urgent necessity for affordable housing, and I agree it needs to happen quickly, I fail to see the legitimacy in choosing to plonk a four to five-storey building in the heart of Noosa Junction and again in Tewantin. Surely, there would be land a little farther afield which would facilitate the requirements of most. People have cars these days and there are always buses.
Please leave our lovely area free from building monstrosities, as has been the case for many years.
Lyn Gundrill, Tewantin
The arrogance of the Noosa Heads man to say one and two-bedroom units are not homes. These units are being built for those who desperately want that small place to call home, not for the well off who already have their homes.
Not everyone wants a sprawling house with unused bedrooms, media rooms and offices. Some just want an affordable home for peace of mind, security and somewhere to properly thrive.
J. Gregory, Mountain Creek
This another example of developers impacting the lives of the locals for their own profit.
The current and previous councils have strived to keep Noosa as residents have voted for. I have owned property here since the mid-’80s but was born on the Gold Coast. I left there because of what overdevelopment has done to it. Natural beauty has been lost. We need to learn from the mistakes the Gold Coast has made.
Please keep Noosa natural (low-rise) and not a congested concrete jungle. Please respect where the majority of like-minded locals live before it too is lost.
Russ McKee, Tewantin
We certainly protest against the two developments planned against Noosa Council’s recommendations in Noosa Junction and Tewantin.
Too big, too many people, unwanted by all shoppers and locals that currently can’t park close by now. Why destroy our Noosa feeling and environment by unnecessary high rise and ugly buildings.
We love Noosa as it is.
Robert and Patty Neale, Noosaville
Typical Labor, sneaky bastardisation of beautiful towns.
Released at midnight before caretaker government. How low can you go? They’re giving developers a free go, which no one wants.
Ms Scanlon will be booted out thankfully.
Jill French, Hervey Bay
Independent Member for Noosa Sandy Bolton is right to question government overrides of democratically established town plans. The state government’s ‘no appeal’ decree is a powerful reminder of just how badly governments, economists and planners have failed us on housing.
If only MP Bolton believed in local democracy as matter of principle.
In 2012 she, and the Noosa community groups that support her campaign today, endorsed Brett Winkler for mayor of the Sunshine Coast. Winkler, contrary to the Noosa ethos, supported higher high-rise, a casino and higher growth rates. Winkler helped elect a like-minded Mark Jamieson only months before Noosa’s de-amalgamation. Winkler later became Bolton’s campaign manager.
If Bolton had wanted to make a genuine statement about local democracy she could have stood with her Coolum-Yaroomba ‘neighbours’ for five minutes in their decade-long fight for the town plan. She did not.
The fact is, 12 years ago, Noosa powerbrokers deliberately closed the door on any hope of communities working together in a common cause. Such is self-interest and the sad legacy of the dog-eat-dog of the Noosa de-amalgamation movement.
South of Peregian, Bolton’s cries ring hollow.
Ken Fisher, Yaroomba
Here we have an example of an authoritarian socialist state government imposing its rule over a unique part of Queensland which has remained steadfast against a Labor party ‘will’ to break this shire up.
My family and I lived (until recently) in the Noosa Shire for 30 years and over this time have seen attempts to transform Noosa into concrete behemoth-style accommodation.
While it is acknowledged Noosa needs more housing for local workers, surely an agreement can be reached with (profit hungry) developers to reduce the height and footprint of the proposed plan.
Phil Broad, Nambour
- Read the story: Developer to appeal refused ‘bulky’ key corner complex
With regard to the state government decision to consider an appeal by developers in Noosa, I wholeheartedly agree that this is completely disrespectful.
Not only is it disrespectful, there are many times that the state governmentt’s decision goes directly against what actual residents and ratepayers want approved in their local area. After all, what do we have local government representatives for?
Sadly though, it’s not unique to the Noosa area. Maybe I’m just cynical, but I can’t help but wonder what’s in it for the state government when these decisions of development approval usually only favour the developers, not the residents of the community. How many of these developers live in, spend time in, or contribute to the local area?
Time to reconsider the relevance and authority of state government.
D. Jacks, Forest Glen
- Anti-social street behaviour
We decided to venture to Ipswich from Nambour Station on a three-hour rail journey for a mere 50 cents.
It was as if we crossed a border into another country at Booval where a group of young people boarded and swore loudly at each other perhaps to overcome the noise of riding their scooters up and down the aisle. The anti-social behaviour was an alert when we disembarked at Ipswich Station at 9.30am on a Wednesday. Confronting us was a squad of uniformed police wanding and patting down some passengers with a sniffer dog at the ready. The officers found one man carrying seven knives.
After extricating ourselves from the swirling blue uniforms we set off to catch a bus as we met more police in the street. An officer said the operation was under Jack’s Law, introduced in response to the stabbing death of 17-year-old Jack Beasley in 2019. The media captured the action with street crime an issue in the state election. The bus took us to the Rail Museum Workshops. They were most enjoyable and revealed that anti-social street behaviour is not new in Queensland.
A report by the accountant for the railway company building the North Coast Line over a century ago said the navvies’ behaviour was a challenge for law-abiding citizens. George Henderson wrote, ”The day following payday (Sunday morning), the usual thing was to see men lying about all over the place, suffering a recovery from the night before. During the Sunday, which was always a wild day, the men continued to fight among themselves all day, and right away until dark. In fact, I have seen them many a time fighting by candlelight. It was no use trying to stop them. Even the policemen could do nothing. There was nothing else but to let them fight, until they could fight no more.”
I doubt whether our next Queensland Government will adopt that laissez-faire strategy.
Garry Reynolds, Peregian Springs
Do you have an opinion to share? Submit a Letter to the Editor at Sunshine Coast News via news@sunshinecoastnews.com.au. You must include your name and suburb for accountability, credibility and transparency. Preference will be give to letters of 100 words or less.
