August 9th 2004 Meridien launch draws protest Last Friday night saw the launch of Meridien Developer's display building to showcase the $80 million development at Bright Point. But accompanying the Kate Ceberano concert, banquet and light show for the invited guests was a noisy demonstration at the Nelly Bay Harbour terminal to greet the prospective purchasers as they arrived off the ferry. Chanting "No high rise in world heritage" the group of mostly Island residents made it clear that the development on Bright Point is not pleasing everyone. Concern over the proposed development has focussed mostly on the impact the development will have to the view from Arcadia's Geoffrey Bay (read here). Prospective purchasers pass the protesters The proposal involves the construction of 124 units in four blocks (3-5 stories high) on a ledge created by the blasting of the headland by earlier developers of Nelly Bay Harbour. Meridien's guests reach the top of the ramp as the protesters chant Magnetic Times understands that Meridien have provided reports to argue to Townsville City Council that the development will have insignificant impacts on the community and the environment and that the project is of a "minor" nature, so the assessment process will not trigger the involvement of state agencies such as the Environment Protection Agency. Story & Photos: George Hirst

Meridien launch draws protest

2 comments

Shirley Prout August 9th 2004

I went to a party on Friday evening in the small public space left at Nelly Bay Ferry Terminal, to celebrate the World Heritage status of Magnetic Island. All the people at the party knew eachother. No balloons, whistles or clowns, just some banners with a world heritage theme. It was an alcohol free party. No groaning table of food, no signs of self indulgence, no strangers. We were in our "home". So who called the men with guns, the truck with the cage on the back? At the same time there was a spectacle being enacted at the end of the bay. Graffiti (screened) on the woulded face of Bright Point. Did it say "Murder"? Were the resident native animals and birds beaten (as in hunting beat) out before the spotlights? Kate honey, did you know who or what you were singing for, or was it just another gig? What's a nice girl like you doing there? A local professional entertainer just didn't want to be part of it. Were the spirits of the indigenous people, the Traditional Owners disturbed on Friday night - bad dreaming, sorry business? There was already an early presence of men with guns: police and security guards like Starsky and Hutch or Water Rats. So who called for more police? Who was being protected, the boatload of strangers or the Queensland citizens at the World Heritage party? Or was it a crowd control exercise? Control of the people at the alcohol free World Heritage party or at the free-flowing alcohol party along the cement wall? Is this how it is to be from now on at parties on Magnetic Island? Them and us, men with guns, and blazing lights? There is no offence intended to the Police who were doing their job but why make it harder with that divisive, nervous display? What was the real crime rate on the Island while nearly all officers were concentrated on nothing? Merik (see comment under "Eve: Not happy Meridien") I don't know you but please don't be bitter and twisted. You might love us all and learn something if you tried. No don't go back 100 years. A few years and some thinking would do before greedy people thought of, or permitted the quarrying of a stunning tree covered headland, dynamited a fringing reef, polluted our sights and senses, killed coastal lowlands, blocked and or changed the flow of creeks, destroyed habitats and species without a thought for future generations or the laws of the World Heritage Convention which the Australian Government signed in 1974 or the EPBC Act of 1999. Shirley Prout, Horseshoe Bay

Holly McDonald August 26th 2004

My partner and I have just got back from holidaying on Magnetic Island, We found MI to be 1 of the most beautiful places on earth. The people were all so friendly, it seemed as though you didn't have to be a permanent resident, or a ragular visitor to become a part of the Island. We loved everything the Island had to offer, its majestic views, the wildlife was so abundent as well as the lush greenery. There was only 1 problem, we found that there was a lot of construction going on with people wanting to build everything from houses, townhouses and, yes, even the high rise proposed for Nelly Bay's Bright Point. On our 1st morning to the Island we went to see the sunrise, yes, it was at Bright Point. We did get to see the most spectacular sunrise of our lives, we also saw something else: the famous Rock Wallaby, you know the shy little critter that happens to live amongst these rocks? And the one that's on the endangered species list because of there habitat being lost or should I say destroyed? My point is that with all this construction business going on around MI, it's going to bring aboard new residents, alot of them, with alot of garbage and such it's going to mean more people on the roads, in and around the National Parks. I think that building anything more on MI, will not only take away from the abundence of wildlife, but create more problems for Magnetic Island's Eco System.