Act Now To Save Point Cartwright!

Act Now to Save Point Cartwright!  Please write to the Sunshine Coast Council now as part of their Town Plan Review project. This is your opportunity to help protect the future of Point Cartwright Reserve by requesting the reserve be rezoned to the Environmental Management and Conservation zone.

 

You can go to the links below or email to the New Town Plan team on:

newplanningscheme@sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au

 

Sunshine Coast Council is in the early stages of preparing a new planning scheme. The new planning scheme will guide future land use and development and it is therefore important that the community has their say on the new planning scheme.

 

In order for future generations to enjoy Point Cartwright Reserve the way we have enjoyed it, the Reserve needs to be rezoned to the Environmental Management and Conservation Zone to ensure its landscapes, ecology and amenity are protected for future generations.

 

Point Cartwright is a unique place with specialised ecological habitats and landscape features such as critically endangered littoral forests, rocky shores with migratory shorebirds and the largest endangered turtle nesting activities on the Sunshine Coast. Point Cartwright also has a rich Indigenous cultural heritage.

 

These attributes need to be protected within the Environmental Management and Conservation Zone. Intensification of activities under the existing zone are degrading the Reserve. Rezoning will ensure the focus for the area remains on:

– Restoring, preserving, and protecting the environment and amenity of Point Cartwright for future generations;
– Fostering low impact recreation rather than increased development with high impact uses; and
– Enhancing knowledge and awareness of the natural environment, Indigenous cultural heritage and European history of Point Cartwright.

 

 

You may notice that there is a very brief planning direction that indicates Council’s intention for Point Cartwright Reserve as: “Protect local beaches, dunes, Point Cartwright and Mooloolah River”.

 

This statement seems encouraging, but this statement is very vague. And importantly, to date Council has not protected Point Cartwright Reserve’s unique littoral rainforests, migrating birds, rocky shore habitats or riverine habitats very well. These natural assets have been neglected under the current zone of Recreation and will continue to degrade if not protected and restored for future generations on the Coast to enjoy.

 

For this reason, we are seeking Council to formalise their commitment to protecting the Point Cartwright Reserve by having the reserve rezoned to the Environmental Management and Conservation zone. This will allow the precious ecosystems and wildlife to be given centre stage and recreation activities will need to be low impact. This will ensure the reserve is properly managed, restored and protected so its natural values can be enjoyed by residents and visitors into the future.

 

A rezoning to Environmental Management and Conservation would support an integrated vision for the reserve that ensures its complex mix of unique natural and cultural heritage values are preserved for future generations in the following ways:

– Preservation and celebration of Indigenous cultural heritage
– Recognition and retention of European history
– Restoration of nationally significant littoral forests
– Conservation of resident and international migratory shorebirds
– Preservation of rocky shore habitats
– Protection and restoration of riverine habitats
– Conservation of endangered turtle nesting
– Retention of tourism and park function
– Recovery of lost natural heritage

 

Please Have Your Say!

 

You can make your opinions on Point Cartwright Reserve known by email to the New Town Plan team on newplanningscheme@sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au

 

You can your say on the proposed local vision and planning direction for Kawana Waters (and Point Cartwright) is here: https://haveyoursay.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/newplanningscheme/kawana-waters

 

You can have your say on the vision, the regional planning directions, the local planning directions and a number of hot topics including climate change by visiting this page: https://haveyoursay.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/newplanningscheme

 

We would like to acknowledge the fabulous work of local community groups such as ‘Friends of Buddina’ and ‘The Beach Matters’ group. Please check out their posts for more information on the broader concerns for local areas.

 

Save Point Cartwright on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savepointcartwright