By Margaret Maccoll
The State Government has rejected an application from Habitat Noosa to downgrade the Elanda Point fish habitat area in order to build a commercial jetty there.
The Discovery Group is in the process of renovating the site formerly known as the Elanda Point Education Centre and Adventure Park into an eco-centre.
As part of the plan they wanted to build a 70m jetty. To do so required an amendment of Queensland’s fisheries legislation to downgrade the area’s fish habitat area status so an application for the jetty could be lodged.
It would have required a downgrade from fish habitat area A, for strict management, to a B, where existing or planned use requires a more flexible management approach.
Supporters of the project said it would have been good for tourism and reduce the number of high speed boats (estimated at 1500 vessel movements a year) travelling into the pristine area from Noosaville.
A Department of Environment and Science spokesperson said the department assessed the information provided by Habitat Noosa’s Wade Batty and the results of public consultation, and it recommended the request to downgrade the Noosa River Fish Habitat Area at Elanda Point be refused.
“Mr Batty was informed last month that his request to downgrade the Fish Habitat Area would not be progressed,” the spokesperson said.
Protect Elanda group spokesman Noel Bird thanked the Minister for the long-awaited decision saying it would mean no structures, floating pontoons or any other platforms would be allowed in Lake Cootharaba.
“As Mayor Tony Wellington commented in April of last year when Council approved a submission to reject the application, if granted it would set a dangerous precedent for commercial development in a public reserve, with no countermanding public benefit,” he said.
