ON CHARM OFFENSIVE

Suburbs in bid to keep ‘character’ intact

THE community group of two sought-after Cairns suburbs wants the council to introduce regulations to protect the look of the area in what is believed to be a first in regional Queensland.

Stratford and Freshwater Community Association president Liz Taylor said the “one size fits all” approach of the current Cairns Plan did not work in their area and they wanted to prevent small subdivisions to keep the suburb’s character.

“I love the old homes and the beautiful gardens,” the Freshwater resident of 25 years said.

“It’s got a lovely old world charm to it and that’s why I’d love to keep it.

“It has a really distinctive character quite different to others … and that’s why people come here and that’s what we want to protect.

“People want to live in Stratford and Freshwater on bigger blocks with vegetation. If they want (small blocks) they go to Smithfield or Mt Sheridan.”

Division 6 councillor Linda Cooper is backing the move and Cairns Regional Council has launched a survey to garner whether it would have wider support.

She said information had been sent to every resident of the two suburbs but the online survey could be completed by any interested parties.

“It’s an opportunity to gain a good understanding about how people do feel about the future of the suburbs,” Cr Cooper said.

“One size does not fit all for suburbs, all suburbs have their pros and cons.

“I’d just hate for people to drive through (Freshwater and Stratford) in 30 years time and say ‘this is where all the Queenslanders used to be’.”

She said the current planning scheme had left her frustrated as it relied on “crossing your fingers that people were going to do the right thing”.

She said if the survey received significant support and a change to the planning scheme was made she believed residents of other suburbs with distinctive styles, such as Whitfield, Edge Hill and Parramatta Park, would follow suit.

Ms Cooper believed singling out a suburb in a town plan had not previously occurred in regional Queensland.

Ms Taylor said it was not about dictating to residents.

“We’re not saying you’ve got to live in a Queenslander or a cottage, we’re just saying we want to see that the land use pattern is the same as the old land use pattern.”

The survey can be found at www.cairns.qld.gov.au/council/have-say/open/freshwaterstratford-planning