HINTERLAND STILL HAS IT

FALSE perceptions are harming the economy of the “Green Behind The Gold”.

Communities that rely on daytrippers or tourists wanting to slip away for a rainforest holiday are suffering a double whammy.

Bushfires have swept through parts of the Hinterland, but not all.

So while areas such as Binna Burra copped the brunt of unprecedented fires in September and communities such as Sarabah stared at disaster as rural brigades desperately fought to protect lives and property, large areas were spared the wrath of the blazes.

But visitors and Gold Coast residents, spooked by images of fires that continue to threaten other parts of the country, including areas close to Sydney, have been staying away from settlements such as Springbrook.

In fact, it is still business as usual up there on Springbrook’s beautiful plateau, although like everywhere else the drought has bitten.

Like the words from the James Taylor song, we’ve seen fire and rain – and in Springbrook’s case, the rains of former Tropical Cyclone Debbie in 2016 ripped the main road up the mountain to pieces, forcing traffic to use a considerably longer alternative route while the main access was rebuilt. The mountaintop economy suffered.

For our special report today, the Bulletin visited Springbrook to mark a year since the main road was reopened in December 2018. The waterfalls might have been reduced by drought to a trickle, but the rainforest has retained its beauty and the town retains the serenity that has made it a drawcard for generations. It is sad therefore that at this time of year, when Gold Coasters and tourists might otherwise have been seeking to escape the heat and enjoy the forest with its walks and cooling streams, the message is not getting out that all is well. People think that what happened at Binna Burra, for example, where the historic lodge was burnt to the ground, occurred everywhere.

A Springbrook trader told the Bulletin the prolonged road closure taught businesses how to survive the tough times. But having weathered the pain from the storm, they do not deserve to be punished by a perception of bushfire that in their instance did not occur.