Couran Cove service cut threat to residents

Hundreds of residents have been told their critical services will be cut off within a couple of days in the latest saga to plague an embattled South Stradbroke island community.

Couran Cove Island Resort residents received a letter on February 10 warning their electricity, gas and water would be suspended on Wednesday due to claims of millions of dollars owed under service agreements.

There are five body corporates involved on the island, with complex court proceedings playing out over allegations of millions of dollars in unpaid levies.

The letter sent to residents was signed by Island Resorts (Infrastructure) and Island Resorts (Facilities and Equipment) company director Simon Napoli.

Mr Napoli was contacted for comment, but questions to him were forwarded to a Couran Cove spokesman, who confirmed “most” residents would be affected by the service suspension. This included residents living in the island’s BLISS community, which provides affordable housing for pensioners, people with disabilities and those on limited wages.

The spokesman said the arrears had reached “many millions of dollars”.

“If substantial payments are made towards arrears then services may be able to continue to some precincts in some form,” he said.

“If payments are not made, then services cannot continue as you cannot pay bills for essential components such as diesel, garbage collection, staffing, water services coordinators and other essential workers for the island unless there is money available.

“Residents rely on the good faith of their committees to pass on the monies that they pay for essential services,” the spokesman said.

Eco Body Corporate chair Dave Bowden, who also owns an eco cabin within Couran Cove, said residents had been “caught in the middle” of a body corporate legal war.

“We’re now finding that we’re just going to be cut off completely (to critical services),” Mr Bowden said.

“We think some residents will be forced to leave the island because of it and there is obviously a rental crisis going on everywhere as well.

“We don’t know how many will be forced to leave the island or how many will remain on the island.”

Couran Cove eco cabin resident Bernie Woods feared the loss of services could mean a lack of water available during emergencies such as a fire.

“People are a little bit anxious,” Mr Woods said. “It’s crazy what they’re trying to do.”

He said some residents had contingency plans, including generators, which would help them “survive for a time”.

Mr Woods called for a mediation between the body corporates and Mr Napoli.

The Couran Cove spokesman said only the body corporates for the marine and lagoon precincts had asked for a mediation.

“Unfortunately without funds, no services can be provided as the costs of running such a large community are massive and with no funds available, you cannot run the basic infrastructure,” he said.

Some Couran Cove residents have faced on and off access to critical services such as gas since August 2021 due to the ongoing body corporate legal battle.