Plans for escarpment land

UNFORTUNATELY, those who believe a museum site at Highfields being promoted will somehow draw thousands of visitors to Toowoomba and Highfields and employ hundreds of ex-servicemen as curators and gardeners really should have another think.

The proposed block of land is on the side of the escarpment and besides a south west view into the valley has high susceptibility to bush fire from the unguarded valley.

The fact that the 25th lads marched down in the dark to catch the train at Spring Bluff is indeed of historical interest.

But those same men spent a lot more time training on the 370 hectare property surrounding the ex rifle and pistol range at Mt Lofty.

We believe this land has much more historical significance as it was been used for training our soldiers since 1890 and the Boer War. This prime and beautiful bush land is the land that the Defence Housing Association wanted to squeeze 342 residential lots onto, with a proposed “up to 10% could be made available for defence housing”. The balance to make massive profits for the government at the expense of a 44 hectare koala and wildlife habitat with massive bush fire danger from the valley that was to be left unmanaged.

Then DHA proposed a 50 lot luxury estate on the site that our council wisely voted down 100%, saying that there must be a better use for this magnificent property on the edge of our great little city.

Save Mt Lofty Inc has proposed a project to DHA and the council that turns the property into a park and wildlife refuge managed and cared for by retired and in need front line personnel.

The project plan includes a small museum, beautiful park land and public walk ways to historical sites of interest.

S. EGAN, Save Mt Lofty Inc