Bid to halt Eljasie plan

A RETINUE of brawny beersmiths are ready to thump Cairns Regional Council’s front reception desk with more than 10kg of solid opposition to a proposed industrial subdivision.

Macalister Brewery owner Rob Callin started inviting customers and Smithfield residents three weeks ago to make a submission against an industrial development on the bar’s doorstep.

He will deliver 2100 signed submissions when the Spence St council office opens this morning, each on a separate piece of A4 paper weighing roughly 5g apiece.

“The council tells me it’s the biggest response they’ve ever had against a development,” Mr Callin said.

“Before that, it was the eight-storey Clifton Beach development that had about 700 submissions. So this is pretty substantial.”

Mr Callin will bring his five staff to the council chambers today, hoping to drum up further support for the cause.

Developer Eljasie has submitted a development application to create a 22-lot mixeduse industrial precinct on land east of Mt Milman Drive.

Mr Callin said it would fall right behind the microbrewery and destroy the current sweeping views over green cane fields.

He said he took out a 10- year-lease on the site because the council had told him the adjacent land was zoned rural would not be developed in the next 30 years because it was prone to flooding.

“If it still goes ahead, I don’t think people will be happy,” he said.

“I think it would probably fold us.

“When you own a brewery, the keg and bottle trade takes a long time to build up.

“I’ve deliberately chosen to build up the bar trade first to allow us to expand later, so we can create jobs over the years,” he said.

“If they kill my bar trade, it will probably kill my business.”

Mr Callin said he had been losing sleep due to stress.

Attempts to contact the developer have failed.

THE COUNCIL TELLS ME IT’S THE BIGGEST RESPONSE THEY’VE EVER HAD AGAINST A DEVELOPMENT … SO THIS IS PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL

editorial@cairnspost.com.au facebook.com/TheCairnsPost www.cairnspost.com.au twitter.com/TheCairnsPost

Picture: MARC McCORMACK OPPOSITION BREWING: Rob Callin, owner of Macalister Brewing, says setting up an industrial subdivision at Smithfield would most likely destroy his business.