BLACK SWAN DOWN
PROTESTERS shed tears as heavy machinery began work to fill Black Swan Lake in Bundall yesterday.
The move came despite Mayor Tom Tate telling a council meeting the Gold Coast Show should move from the Turf Club.
RESIDENTS held back tears as they compared the filling in of the Gold Coast’s Black Swan Lake to the death of Brisbane’s Cloudland Ballroom.
Val Shooter, of Southport, arrived about 7.30am as the noise from the trucks in the Bundall equine precinct had frightened off most bird life, including the two resident swans.
“This is Gold Coast democracy in action. It’s exactly like what happened in Brisbane in the Joh era when the Cloudland ballroom and Bellevue Hotel were demolished as opposed to everyone’s opposition,” she said.
The retired schoolteacher, reflecting on the demolition of those buildings in 1979 and 1982, noted that people had not forgotten the actions of those who knocked down historic landmarks or the politicians involved.
“They still hate the Deen Brothers as much as those in administration who allowed it to happen,” she said of the demolition company and the Bjelke-Petersen government.
The big difference yesterday from the Joh era was police successfully used negotiators to prevent a hothouse situation.
During the heat at midday, police officers were bringing water to the residents and talking to them.
Wildlife Queensland Gold Coast president Sally Spain confirmed the group would remain peaceful and no illegal action would be launched
“We will ensure no one is hurt or injured,” Ms Spain told the Bulletin.
Senior Sergeant Paul Hunter, the officer in charge of Broadbeach station, said police had arrived early to talk to residents.
He said the police model of using officers with communication skills to work with “issue motivated groups” had worked.
“The message today is public safety. We want to make sure everyone is safe,” he said.
“We have staffers with a certain skill set. This is a perfect platform to deliver that.”
Resident Karen McCarthy,
THIS IS GOLD COAST DEMOCRACY IN ACTION. IT’S EXACTLY LIKE WHAT HAPPENED IN BRISBANE IN THE JOH ERA WHEN THE CLOUDLAND BALLROOM AND BELLEVUE HOTEL WERE DEMOLISHED VAL SHOOTER
who arrived early, said lake supporters welcomed the police presence, aware the officers had arrived to keep watch if construction machinery moved in.
“We’re outnumbered by the police who are here to ensure public safety,” she said.
Residents have been campaigning since March 2015 when the turf club approached the council to fill in what was ratepayer property for an overflow car park and horse training facilities.
A majority of councillors in November 2016 backed area councillor Gary Baildon, who convinced them that filling in the 2.7ha stretch of water
would help the show society, which needed parking at its new turf club base.
Councillor Peter Young, who has been a strong supporter of residents, posted a photograph early yesterday of two swans on his Facebook page. “Your last look at Black Swan Lake. Filling operations expected to commence today following the removal of aquatic species these past couple of days,” he wrote.
“Utterly nonsensical in my opinion.”
Just after 10am an excavator arrived and started removing trees by the lake after a spotter catcher removed a snake and some cane toads.