CROWS NEST

GRAVE concerns on two important issues.

During a shopping trip in Crows Nest, I was able to gauge the depth of the concern being felt by the local people about the proposed development of a new service station.

The site of this is on the flood-prone vacant land on the New England Highway close to Crows Nest Creek. Everywhere I went people were talking about it, and all were expressing grave concerns on two major issues.

Environmental: The location is on ground which is watered by two creeks which always flow regardless of rainfall. They in turn drain into Crows Nest Creek, through the Crows Nest National Park and into Cressbrook Dam. This dam has a holding capacity of about 42% of the total dam water available to the Toowoomba region. The potential danger posed by a fuel spillage does not bear contemplation.

Economic: Crows Nest is a small but thriving country town with a very good range of small businesses. The business owners as well as their customers are very concerned about the effect on the local economy of a business which would very strongly impact on the flow of travelers into the town itself. We need our visitors to stop in the town itself to discover what we have to offer, so that our local businesses will continue to thrive.

I would therefore urge anyone in the whole region who shares these concerns to express their opinion to the Toowoomba Regional Council before March 30.

MEG HATFIELD, Crows Nest