THE BYRON SHIRE Volume 25 #26 Tuesday, November 30, 2010 Mullumbimby 02 6684 1777 Byron Bay 02 6685 5222 Fax 02 6684 1719 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au www.echo.net.au 21,000 copies every week
Global coal magnate revealed as new North Beach 0wner Ray Moynihan
A coal-mining magnate with an estimated wealth of around $600 million is still developing plans for his 88 hectare coastal property North Beach, formerly owned by Becton and Club Med. Brian Flannery, pictured, is the chief executive of a coal mining and technology firm called White Energy, which has interests in Asia, Africa, the United States and China, and a current value on the stock exchange of close to $1 billion. Mr Flannery’s ownership of the prime beachside property, via his
Brisbane-based family company Ganra, has been something of a secret in the local community since he bought the site from Becton in February for $18.5 million. The estate agent who conducted the sale was under a confidentiality agreement, and Mayor Jan Barham says when she asked North Beach staff about the new owners she was
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EGO BRAND INTELLECT BISCUITS
simply told they were a Queensland family. With more than three decades’ experience in mining and construction Brian Flannery’s personal wealth reportedly skyrocketed in recent years when a Chinese coal mining firm bought Felix resources, a company Mr Flannery had a major interest in and was managing. His new wealth propelled the mining magnate into the Business Review Weekly’s Rich 200 list, and he reportedly told BRW earlier this year his success was due to much hard work, as well as some luck, and he had no interest in retiring. ‘I’ll do other work like charities and that sort of thing,’ he said, ‘but my main interest is to keep active and stay in the mining business. Mining is a real people’s business. There’s a lot of entrepreneurs, real doers and risk-takers and they create a lot of wealth for all sorts of people.’ The miner’s prime coastal property, which adjoins the banks of the sensitive Belongil Creek and neighbours bird breeding grounds, comes with much history attached. The Globetrotters caravan park of the seventies became the Byron Beach Resort in the eighties, followed by the controversial Club Med site of the nineties, and Becton’s Northbeach in the 2000s. Like Club Med’s plans, Becton’s initial grand design was strongly opposed by the local community, though a development application was ultimately negotiated and approved by state government. Those final plans allowed for almost 120 large time-share tourist houses, with a resale value of perhaps $240 million, and a hotel, surrounded by conservation works and a revegetated former gold course.
Bikram
Mullum streets alive with music
The streets of Mullumbimby came alive with the town’s very own music festival last weekend. Described by a number of folks as a ‘real gift’, the three year old festival gave a palpable boost to Mullum’s self esteem. From laid back alt country through to psyhso-psychedelic gypsy punk, it sprawled across seven venues and open air spaces. For more pics see www.offmyfacebook.com.au. Photo of Dani Doo and Shannon by Jeff ‘Vitamin MM’ Dawson.
The new owners are not commenting publicly on what options are likely, though it’s understood they’re considering smaller, lighter structures, and potentially more of them. For example, The Echo understands there’s been a recent approach to Council asking whether the original development application approved for the old Byron Beach Resort is still valid. That plan included approval for almost 200 cabins, though many were never constructed.
Function centre to open in January It is also understood the mass tree-planting work started by Becton has temporarily stopped and a reopening of the golf course has been contemplated. In the meantime the recently renovated function centre will open for functions and weddings from January, and it was donated for use by the Cancer Council Ball and the Writers Festival this year. ‘We are assessing potential appro-
priate uses,’ said North Beach Byron’s project and development manager Jeremy Holmes, ‘and hope to settle on a draft proposal in the first half of 2011.’ He added that the new owners wanted to get on with the community and the council, they will consult widely, and hope to make a place that’s ‘ecologically sensitive and contributes to a sustainable economic future for the area.’ Mayor Jan Barham says she found the secrecy surrounding the coalminer Brian Flannery’s purchase of the site ‘weird’, arguing as a general rule there is ‘social responsibility in ownership of land, and accountability to the community you are a part of ’, a sentiment Mr Holmes said the new owners agreed with entirely. Jan Barham says coastal land zoned for tourism has traditionally meant it was open and accessible to the public, and the North Beach property has ‘so much history with the community – it’s akin to being public land.’ The planner working for Brian Flannery’s team, Steve Connelly, has
been involved with different proposals for the property since the 1980s, including Becton’s, and he says public access to the beach is guaranteed by a ‘right of way’ written into the title. ‘It’s a great site, it has fabulous attributes, and can add to, not detract from Byron Bay, both commercially and environmentally,’ he said. Despite several requests, Brian Flannery was unavailable for interview.
Crash claims life A single vehicle crash claimed the life of a 29 year old man on Main Arm Road, at Upper Main Arm last Monday morning. Police and emergency services were called at about 3am after the vehicle left the road and rolled over an embankment. Four people travelling in the vehicle escaped with minor injuries. Police were told the driver climbed back into the vehicle to retrieve some property. The vehicle then caught alight and the man was trapped inside and died at the scene.
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