‘CLASS WARFARE’: OUTCRY AT BEACH RESTRICTION PLAN
THE Hinchinbrook Shire Council has moved swiftly to reject suggestions that it will shut access to a beach popular with campers, fishers and 4WD enthusiasts.
Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto said a leaked Draft Crystal Creek Action Plan by natural resource management body NQ Dry Tropics amounted to “class warfare”.
He said the draconian restrictions could limit access to users of the about 30 private recreational huts at the beach inland from Mutarnee while severe restrictions would be imposed on everyone else.
“If this plays out you’re going to have a scenario where if you’ve got a hut you’ve got access to this beautiful pristine area but if you don’t have a hut well you are locked out along with the rest of the public,” he said.
“That starts creating a bit of a class war if you ask me.”
The leaked 29-page document obtained by News Corp aims to “reduce the threats of inappropriate use within the Crystal Creek Reserve” through a reduction in the number of recreational users, including visitors, over the next two years.
It proposes “two distinct periods of work”. “A closure and infrastructure period, managed by NQDT, will see public access to the reserve closed to allow the ecosystem to recover and infrastructure to be installed to formalise camping and recreational use within the reserve.”
It said the second phase, a “finalisation period” to be managed by the Hinchinbrook
Shire Council, would involve a short trial of formalised camping activities.
The results of phase two would be studied to develop “permanent access and behaviour change infrastructure and strategies across the entire reserve to manage the impacts of recreational users”.
Mr Dametto said he was livid that neither he nor local residents without beach huts had been consulted.
He said he understood there had been instances of unruly behaviour in the area as well as illegal dumping but that was “a policing issue”.
“I believe better management and policing of this area is necessary, we can’t continue to lock up and lock people out across North Queensland when it comes to outdoor recreational use,” he said.
“People move to North Queensland to move and holiday here because we love the great outdoors, if we wanted to move to Brisbane we would but the reason we live here is because we love living and experiencing camping, fishing and boating.”
The move was also news to Hinchinbrook Shire Mayor Ramon Jayo. The council released a statement on Tuesday morning stating it was involved in the proposal.
“Put simply, these claims are false. Council has not supported the closing of this area,” the statement reads.
“Council is aware that allegedly illegal clearing in this area has recently occurred, and is of the understanding that the parties involved are currently under investigation by the relevant state government agency.”