Rainforest revealed

Council funding for new attraction for The Spit

PLANNING is under way for The Spit’s newest and most promising tourism project – a rainforest at its northern end.

The council has earmarked $910,000 in funding for an irrigation system and creation of 35ha of rainforest at Federation Walk, which it predicts “will become one of the most popular attractions on the Gold Coast”.

In a report to the council’s transport and infrastructure committee, council officers said littoral rainforest was listed as a critically-endangered threatened ecological community under the Federal Government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

The funding is judged as meeting the criteria under the Commonwealth’s community infrastructure program.

“Large intact areas of this vegetation community are uncommon. The largest remaining intact area of 136ha is found within Iluka nature reserve in the Northern Rivers region of NSW,” the council report said.

Officers said the project would deliver “a cool canopy of littoral rainforest and other coastal vegetation communities” enabling tourists to “appreciate the amenity of a world-class ocean park destination at the Spit”.

“The irrigation will support the establishment of rainforest and at the same time reduce the potential for fires in a location that is subject to fires,” the report said.

“The Queensland Government, as part of The Spit master plan, have indicated an intention to commit $2.6 million to the rainforest establishment project, however that is assumed to be announced closer to the election (in October).”

Councillors did not discuss the proposal at committee.

State Development Minister Kate Jones, when contacted by the Bulletin, said the Government was working on the project.

“Eco-tourism is the way of the future for Queensland,” Ms Jones said.

“More and more tourists want an eco-experience when they travel. This will be a great drawcard for the Coast.”

A littoral rainforest was one of nine outcomes listed for Federation Walk in The Spit master plan report.

“The establishment of a littoral rainforest preserves this endangered ecological community for the benefit of future generations,” the report said.

The Bulletin understands creating the forest will involve the use of water tanks and feeder lines through the dunal areas.

FINAL testing is under way on South Australia’s big battery after work to increase its capacity by 50 per cent to 150 megawatts.

Energy Minister Dan van Holst Pellekaan said the project was entering its critical testing phase by activating the battery’s full capacity.

“The increase in storage power and capacity means a faster response to disturbances such as network faults, so that within milliseconds the Hornsdale Power Reserve can help stabilise the grid,” he said.

The Hornsdale Power Reserve was built by Tesla and is owned by Neoen Australia.