Traffic issues blight parks
EXTRA carparking must be made available before Gold Coast Hinterland trails are reopened to prevent a traffic fatality, warns an MP.
Photographs provided to the Bulletin show crowded carparking on the sides of narrow roads at Springbrook has forced bushwalkers to walk in the middle of the bitumen to reach trails that have remained open.
Mudgeeraba MP Ros Bates has written to State Environment Minister Leanne Enoch thanking the Government for the continued closure of some trails in Springbrook National Park because tracks are less than a metre wide and walkers are unable to adhere to social distancing rules.
“The biggest issue that you are aware of after sending you photographs is of course the parking,” Ms Bates wrote.
“Cars park on both sides of Springbrook Rd, which is a very narrow, state-controlled, heritage-listed road. In addition, visitors park on both sides of Carricks Rd and Forestry Rod, which are Gold Coast City Council roads.
“This is dangerous and forces people to walk on the road. My request to both yourself and Mayor Tom Tate is to open up land that is controlled by both State and council to allow for safe parking when the national park reopens.”
Ms Bates suggested flat land available at Springbrook Mountain Manor and The Settlement at Purlingbrook could easily accommodate parking.
The council also has land in Carricks Rd that could be used.
“This will achieve two goals – one to safely enable people to visit Springbrook National Park and alleviate a long-term traffic management problem at the same time,” Ms Bates said.
Ms Bates told the Bulletin she wanted to see all the trails reopened but before that could happen safely there needed to be adequate social distancing, both on the walks and before arriving at the park.
“Every weekend residents have to put up with hundreds of cars parked along both sides of the road, and tourists walking on the road, which has not only been a health issue during COVID-19, it is a fatality waiting to happen,” she said.
“Visitors walk five deep along very narrow roads and we need a long-term solution for the problem, not just a quick fix.
“Local businesses suffer on Forestry Rd as cars are parked there for hours to utilise the walks and stop any trade for the shops as their customers have nowhere to park.”
Ms Bates said Mudgeeraba police had been doing a “fantastic job” in policing the Springbrook area and indicated Nerang police would continue to police Natural Bridge.
Most of Springbrook National Park remains closed, including barbecues, camping areas and the Purling Brook Falls circuit.
The Natural Bridge circuit and toilets are open in daylight hours, but the Natural Bridge cave remains closed, according to the Department of Environment and Science.
Most visitor facilities also remain closed at Tamborine National Park, apart from the Witches Falls section.