Hinch dips toe in Bundall row
SENATOR Derryn Hinch has entered the Black Swan Lake dispute calling on the council to suspend the approval for the Gold Coast Turf Club to fill in the Bundall “borrow pit”.
The Victorian-based Justice Party senator and former media personality wrote to Mayor Tom Tate after receiving complaints from residents.
“Word has reached us in Canberra that this decision, which will destroy the home of over 65 different birds, has been undertaken despite significant concern from the public that this decision is not in the best interests of the community or the environment,” Senator Hinch wrote.
Residents had complained about not being consulted and indigenous elders had raised serious concerns that burial sites near the lake were not part of an archaeological survey, he said.
Senator Hinch said the Bulimba Creek Catchment Coordinator Committee claimed the council had not considered its independent water testing of the lake, which showed it was not toxic.
He asked if the RSPCA had been consulted by the timing of the works which were occurring in the middle of the breeding season causing trauma for birds and other native wildlife.
“I am of the strong belief that until the community can have these concerns appropriately considered and allayed, then any approved development on Black Swan Lake should be immediately suspended,” Senator Hinch wrote.
Mayor Tate’s office yesterday released a series of historical aerial photographs showing how the land behind the Bundall equine centre was dug out and became the “borrow pit”.
Residents recall the earth being moved from the 2.75ha site in the 1970s to fill sections of the Gold Coast Turf Club racetrack. Mayor Tate told the Bulletin: “Council this year approved the turf club to undertake work to fill in a borrow pit. The pit was created when the turf club removed soil from the site many decades ago.
“The area has never been gazetted as a lake. It will be returned to a level site for open public space, as well as for the turf club to utilise for parking and horse training.’’
Despite workers continuing to fill the lake, both Wildlife Queensland Gold Coast president Sally Spain and mayoral candidate Brett Lambert continue to share posts about the protest.
The work is expected to be completed in the next few weeks.