LETTERSto the edito r VOCAL LOCAL

I AM sure I wouldn't be the only one getting tired of people referring to our Aborigines as "First Nations" people.

It is time people did their research and learnt that this is being used politically but belongs to Canada.

Our aborigines have been heard to say that they want to be called Aboriginal or Indigenous people.

Seems like someone uses a term once and people think that it is correct.

The Voice is not for "First Nations" people. This is Australia.

B.J. Prescott TOLGA

Standing by integrity

I REFER to the letter from Mr Owen Byrnes (The Express 01/03/2023). Mr Byrnes’s proposition that those councillors that share his particular view “have upheld the principles of local government” suggests that those councillors that voted a different way have not upheld those principles.

The statement is a slight on the entire council and needs to be called out.

I expect every councillor to always uphold the principles of local government irrespective of how they vote on a particular matter.

The attempted diminution of principles by some councillors because they don’t share your view is not something that stacks up, nor is it something I expect from a former councillor.

I’ll stand by the integrity and principles of this entire council, however decisions land.

Mayor Rod Marti Tablelands Regional Council

What about immigrants?

IN the process of acknowledging the hundreds of tribes of aborigines, are we at the same time ignoring, even denigrating the hundreds of immigrants from countries all over the world who came, worked hard, made homes, had families and became decent citizens making Australia the great nation it is today?

Yvonne Thomson KURANDA

Let’s put some facts to discussion on Rail Trail

IN reply to Owen Byrnes (01/03/2023). Mr Byrnes said: “it appears that the tree planters got a win and the trees already planted are allowed to stay”.

This was never disputed – those trees (Grove Street to Manthey Road) were given the council’s blessing on 20 April 2022, application for funding from the Queens Jubilee Commemorative fund was successful, (no cost to council) and the avenue of trees was opened by Rod Marti on 2 November 2022.

The special meeting held on 23 February was about planting to continue on the eastern side of the Rail Trail behind the Industrial Estate. It’s ironic that the tree planting group won the Community Service Award at this year’s Australia Day awards and then were told to stop planting!

The facts - several businesses in the Industrial Estate want to expand onto Department Of Transport land. A title search shows that currently the tenure of the Rail Trail is a Perpetual Lease, owned by the State of Queensland (represented by Department of Transport and Main Roads).

The purpose of the lease is for transport, ancillary to transport, and other community and commercial purposes as approved by the Chief Executive of the Department administering the Transport Infrastructure Act 1994. TRC has a sublease over the Rail Trail, that expires 30 June 2046 (23 years away).

If anybody wants to sublease part of the Rail Trail, they have to make application to the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), the head leaseholder.

As part of the process, TMR consults with council regarding the sublease application and take into account the council’s wishes. After plans and surveys are prepared and registered, council would surrender its sublease and two new subleases issued - one to the owner of the new lot and the remainder back to council.

I would hope this is not at ratepayers’ cost and applying landowners pay for it.

At the meeting it appeared that four Councillors were discussing the possible additional land which they believed was freehold, would be made available to adjoining landowners. Council does not control granting of freehold land and the adjoining landowners would have to make applications to the Department of Resources.

The landowners would also have to pay the cost of moving the Tolga sewerage line, water mains, pay for new drainage, and their business would expand onto leased land –they would not own it.

One has to wonder whether Councillors Hodge, Wilce, Clifton and Cardew, along with Mr Byrnes, are aware of the full facts.

Mr Byrnes – you only need to see the mess behind Mr Hedley’s pub in Tolga, (good businessman or not), to realise that the council has not followed up on any recommendations made during the approval of losing part of the Rail Trail.

While the rest of Australia is nurturing Rail Trails, it appears TRC has no regard for the future of our environment.

Kathryn Kilpatrick ATHERTON

Editor’s Note: At its recent meeting on 23 February, Tablelands Regional Council endorsed the development of a strategy for the Rail Trail and supported the reformation of the community advisory group.

Decision on planting trees disappointing

THROUGH the initiative of an unpaid visionary who happens to understand and appreciate the importance of trees, there have been hundreds of trees planted along the Atherton Rail Trail, south from Platypus Park, along Weaver Street and north from Grove Street.

It hasn’t been a solo effort. Volunteers and groups have assisted with time, trees and equipment as well as local businesses also contributing no or low-cost materials, equipment and time.

There is no greater purpose than to serve, in this case the community. This voluntary collaborative effort which is focussed on revegetating the planet whilst beautifying a local community asset is surely up there with the best of deeds.

And, of course, these projects are in addition to the wonderful achievement of the Tolga Lions club with their trees leading to the highway at Tolga. Heaven knows, we need trees to help our planet, in turn to help ourselves, after all, we all come from the earth and that is where we will wind up when the chequered flag falls.

The Rail Trail attracts home supported tourism, including cycling but let’s not forget other users, runners, walkers, school commuters, workers, mobility scooters all of whom can use the trail away from the dangers of mixing it with vehicular traffic.

So this makes our council’s, the TRC’s, decision to revoke an approval to plant trees between Manthey Rd and Beantree Rd whilst allowing the disaster adjacent to and on the Rail Trail at Tolga to occur, quite disappointing. We can do better than this.

Rex Gregory ATHERTON

Not holding my breath

I THINK it’s time Mayor Toppin paused for a reality check when it comes to the construction of the Mareeba bypass.

Over the past four years, I have spent bulk time negotiating the multi lane roads of Greater Brisbane and Western Sydney. Regular commuters and pedestrians share these congested roads with all manner of heavy vehicles with comparatively few incidents. The daily traffic flow in the Mareeba/Tablelands area pales into insignificance when compared to these areas.

Heavy vehicles passing along Byrnes Street are driven by professional operators, rarely stop and pose little hinderance to other road users. Inexperienced grey nomads piloting articulated vehicles which are often the size of a small semi are a bigger danger to other road users.

How many traffic incidents are reported on the Kuranda Range road when compared to those in Byrnes Street?

What would be the impact on the Tablelands area if the on going band-aid “fixes” to the Barron River bridge resulted in a total road closure?

Labour Governments at both State and Federal level are becoming more reliant on the support of the Greens to remain in power. Given the Greens agenda to close down the resources industries at any cost, how would the Queensland budget cope with the potential loss of revenue from these industries.

The Palaszczuk government has recently committed billions of dollars for road, rail and infrastructure up-grades in the South East corner in preparation for the 2032 Olympics. My understanding is that the Mareeba by-pass is currently unfunded.

At a meeting in Cairns on 6 December, I was told by a TMR spokesman that my property would be resumed should the bypass road ever proceed along its proposed route. I don’t expect to become homeless any time soon.

A.J. Harris MAREEBA

A new video showing what Atherton’s Priors Creek redevelopment will look like triggered a number of comments from locals last week…

Hope it happens and is designed to encourage legit activity and not the other kind, which will ruin it. CCTV and adequate lighting and most important, youth workers to run evening programmes to deter violence and antisocial behaviours. - Radda Jordan

Excellent. Atherton needs this multi-use area, great for the town and the community. - Marcel C Gueho

Gosh, I thought this council was broke. Who pays for future maintenance? Guess it’s gonna be the ratepayers eh! Not good enough I’m afraid. Sick to death of rates rising and get not discount anymore. Ridiculous. - Karen Maree

Wow. How good does that look. Can’t wait. - Paul Pisani I really hope the Tablelands Regional Council has engaged with the Atherton Police and asked for their input, as they will be the ones keeping our families safe when using the area. - Anj Mittelstadt

About four years ago we went through exactly same exercise. What happened to the previous plan? Why aren’t we using the last models and feedback? One idea was a new information centre and parking for caravan out the front adjacent to the parkland. - Julia Howard These are grand designs. I’m hoping our rates aren’t affected. As it’s a struggle to pay them now. - Leigh Koza Would be great, but focus needs to be put on amenities already in place in that area. The rest area at the pump track is a disgrace and I’m ashamed for visitors to our town to see it. Locals and our introduced foreign workers seem to be trashing it, graffiti and rubbish and empty alcohol cans and bottles everywhere. Surely the police are aware of the problem and more focus needs to be put on policing the area. Like I said, new amendments would be awesome but sad if they were to end up the same. -

Stephen McGlew

So fabulous! Can’t wait for such a beautiful space to be available. Good to see money going into improving the town. -

Stephanie Farkas

Priors Creek is an awesome project and I’m glad the council remains committed to this. This is about economic and social development. I hope everyone with ideas pass these on to the council. - David

Anthony

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