Once upon a time there was a farm property which was owned by the one family for two generations in the printing industry. They kept lots of chemical, batteries and poisons on the property, which had been left in the original house. The latest in member of the family left the toxic home to create a new environmental natural home which was built closer to the road.
The property went to Auction from the Public Trustee on or around 12 December 2008. It is marked on the council maps as a Nature Conservation Area and also classified as “Rural or Valued Habitation” on the Town Strategy Plan.
The property was overgrown and consisted of secondary native growth, largely brushbox and eucalypts with long grass, it had the original farmhouse in dilapidated condition and the later home with a drop toilet and secure caging around the balconies. At that time I recall seeing wallabies and diverse bird life.
After the second generation owner died the property was sold to a fella (from Gympie) who said to one of his new neighbours: “I take the Harvey Norman approach: slash, slash and slash again”
36 days after the auction, bulldozers came and the removal of the native timbers (along with some “weed” species). The Environment Officer from the council was happy to let worrying neighbours know: “don’t worry you’re going to like it”. It will be good for the environment.
Here was to be farm! Horse and cows would come in quick succession. The big trees near the house would need to go as they were a danger to the house, and they looked better on the back of a logging truck.
Then the house became a shed and another house was built, so environmental that it had nothing more than the shell and did not even need electricity. The disused original house from the first generation of was burnt; the bare block was subdivided and rental houses were proposed for 2 or 3 blocks.
Here was to be farm! Horse and cows would come in quick succession. The big trees near the house would need to go as they were a danger to the house, and they looked better on the back of a logging truck.
Then the house became a shed and another house was built, so environmental that it had nothing more than the shell and did not even need electricity. The disused original house from the first generation of was burnt; the bare block was subdivided and rental houses were proposed for 2 or 3 blocks.
The council told us that all this could be done without consultation because a private certifier had ordained it and that council no longer have control over the laws that protect vegetation and wildlife.
The pictures that go with this story are all on Google, just look at Upper Rosemount Road and spot the different bits. They took that snap a few months back, and it is even cleaner now!
Sunshine Coast Council need to take appropriate action to ensure that the best possible outcome results from their ongoing neglect to enforce the regulations that they have responsibility for.
Photo: the mauve string shows the covenant area boundary, the lack of erosion control and the destruction of the native plant.
Photo: the mauve string shows the covenant area boundary, the lack of erosion control and the destruction of the native plant.
What has happened here is frightful. This situation makes a mockery of the government processes that are set up to prevent such things happening. The photos demonstrate what a horrible scar on the environment this development has caused.
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