Kuranda Envirocare Vision Statement
Our Vision
Kuranda Environs is a place where the natural environment is valued and protected
Our Aims
To study, conserve and repair biodiversity. To educate the community to value and protect biodiversity
KEC Postion on the Proposed KUR-World Development
The Kuranda community continues to support the values of their natural environment. These values describe our deepest sense of place and identity.
We will consider all opportunities to protect and enhance the sustainability of our social, economic and natural environment. Kuranda EnviroCare recognises that the KUR-World Development is a major challenge to the ecological sustainability and life style of this area. As currently configured the proposed development is not appropriate for this community due to its large scale and the sensitivity of its Myola location.
The Myola area is habitat for two locally endemic and endangered species (Myola palm & Myola frog) and is part of a critical corridor that links the northern and southern parts of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. The proposed development threatens these local endemics as well as a large number of the threatened species and the ecological function within the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area.
We recognise that the existing rural farming enterprise KUR-Cow may be a permissable use of the land as currently zoned. However, we believe that some development activities that have occurred on the property are, in fact, related to the proposed KUR-World development which is not yet approved by Qld State government or Mareeba Shire Council.
Executive summary
KEC membership responded with the following desires and concerns :
Environmental sustainability
. Ensure the damage done to the established EnviroLink Corridor is repaired and enhanced, meeting or exceeding world best practice.
. Restore legislated buffer zones along creeks and waterways to the standards set by world best practice.
. Retain rural land zoning with no residential component.
. Retain habitat without further clearing of the land for any reason due to its importance as threatened species habitat and a Wet Tropics World Heritage Area ecological linkage.
. Maintain or improve existing water quality and quantity in underground aquifers and creek flows off the KUR-World property at all times and particularly during any proposed development construction works.
. Repair previous damage caused by Reever and Ocean’s vegetation clearing and erosion and sediment issues.
. Ensure longer term damage to the environment does not occur if the KUR-World project fails during or shortly after its construction.
Social – We are concerned that:
. KUR-World operation will cause higher traffic flows on the Kuranda Range thereby increasing accidents, injuries and road closures.
. Kuranda village should retain its’ low key character and remain as a social and community centre for residents
. KUR-World may not have complied with our MSC local by-laws as well as Queensland and Federal Government legislation.
. There are inconsistencies in the applications of MSC Council By-Laws.
. Many community members will not understand how to respond with a ‘properly made submission’ to the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
. The submission period and community resources are disproportionately short compared to the likely size of the EIS response from Kur-World and the resources they can apply to their response.
. Residents of the rest of the Mareeba Shire council and Cairns may not be aware of the impact of this proposal for our community.
. Issues arising from the potential failure of KUR-World project during or after its construction are identified in our submission.
. The local MSC local government does not have the capacity to oversee a development of this size in order to adequately protect the interests of established ratepayers.
Economic - We are concerned that:
. KUR-World may cause highly detrimental economic competition with businesses located in the current Kuranda Village.
. KUR-World employees and construction workers may compete for rental housing or accommodation with resident locals.
. Property values may be affected adversely by location close to the development. Construction activity over 5-6 years may make some properties unsaleable and reduce the established liveability of properties.
. The job opportunities stated by KUR-World are overstated.
Please note: Kuranda Envirocare (KEC) invited comment and feedback from members at a meeting on the 02 March 2017. This is a summary of our position, desires and concerns.
Kur-World Proposal in Myola Valley
We need your help to stop this monstrosity
KUR-World EIS submissions open till 14 Jan ‘19
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