Sunshine Coast flyers need a show of strength
With the Sunshine Coast’s high aviator population, the region’s aviation fraternity is determined not to lose their airport without a fight.
They’ll be showing their strength at an upcoming public meeting, and we’re urging that as many aviation people as possible take part.
For that purpose here’s the full text of a letter that’s been circulated to interested parties.
Save Caloundra Airport
Update for February 2010
Hi Troops,
Welcome to supporters who have found and joined us this month.
Comment:
A few months ago I mentioned:
My belief with the entire plan, [The South East Queensland Regional Plan and associated Growth Management Strategy papers] is that Capt Bligh is trying to solve some of her Brisbane traffic [and overcrowding] problems, by creating a cheap dormitory on the Sunshine Coast for a few hundred thousand Brisbane residents: shift ‘em up here out of the way.
With what else is happening to the Sunshine Coast under the dictatorship of Anna Bligh – delaying our well overdue and much-needed hospital for another 2 + years, taking over our water with one-way pipe lines out of our area, softening us up to the unpalatable prospect of drinking our own sewerage, trying to force us to use public transport so that they can look the other way with the parking problems and roads, and forcing more unnatural growth here, when we already have healthy steady natural growth, it is just disgraceful.
Add to that the recent discovery that some of our state’s major assets are up for sale, and you have almost an obligation to ensure she is not re-elected.
The Caloundra Airport is one of the pawns in this one-sided chess game. We lessees, business owners, employees, pilots, instructors and aviation enthusiasts are small change in this game where the stakes are high and the other side has nothing of it’s own money at stake – it’s all OUR money. We on the other hand, have everything we’ve fought and studied for over the years to lose, including for some, our jobs.
There is a public forum to be held at the Kawana Lakeside Community Centre shortly. The subject to be discussed is the Growth Strategies which have been adopted, and which any thinking person believes will gradually destroy the standard of living and lifestyle choices we have all fought for on the Sunshine Coast. This of course is where the Caloundra Airport comes in: it’s a natural corridor to the Caloundra South developments proposed.
There are some excellent speakers scheduled on “our side”. I strongly recommend you attend and give them some support. You will have your chance to contribute (verbally) or ask questions if you wish to do so.
I’ve already told you that Stockland stated they had now lost interest in acquiring the airport. However, another rocket has just been fired by Stockland. They have just made application to council for a re-zone of an area of land right next to the airport. The triangle of land roughly north east of BellVista, has apparently been owned for some time by Stockland. This is virtually all the land between the threshold of 12 down to the primary windsock and along 05/23, an area of unknown size which apparently can accommodate 900 dwellings on 500 lots.
This land abuts the airport land, and the 2 runways are only a matter of a few meters away by the look of it. (See aerial photo attached, courtesy of Force 8 photography). Note that I have not seen the application, but it was reported to the Airport and Community Forum meeting this week by a council officer. You can possibly imagine the new pressures brought to bear on the SCRC to close the airport in a few years (assuming it is still there then) due to noise etc. if this is approved. We all need to object to this application as soon as it is public knowledge.
According to the recently released Aviation White Paper, councils should not allow encroachments of this type to be approved next to or near airports for the very sane reason that residential development and airports are not good neighbours, and never have been. However what notice our SCRC takes of this who knows. I believe they have the legal power to reject the application if they so desire. Tell a councillor you object to it. See council contact lists on http://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/sitePage.cfm?code=councillor-details
One thing is encouraging. There is growing pressure in the area generally, to resist the unwanted forced growth of our area by Anna Bligh. Even Mayor Bob Abbott, who original supported the airport, but after the election denied it, has been firing back somewhat in the press about the unwanted forced growth in our area.
The free Public Forum organised by the well respected Sunshine Coast Environmental Council, to be held on
Sunday 14th March at 2pm at
the Lake Kawana Community Centre Sportsman Parade, Bokarina,
is evidence of this happening at higher levels.
If you can possibly attend and wave our flag, or at least give the SCEC support, please do so for the ongoing benefit of yourself and your families.
Regards,
Peter Ryan
Hi Peter,
Keep up the fight!
Our country airports are obviously important to a small sector of our community but few appreciate how much the wider community within these towns benefit from the employment and goodwill they attract.
Please keep me updated on progress that your movement has and you have my full support in what you are doing.
Yours,
Scott Thompson.
I fully support the fight to keep this airport open.
However I question the emotion in the handout.
There is an election looming, two of them actually.
In Qld the result is likely to be close, so in many marginal electorates the aviators of the region, if united, can make a huge difference. However beginning with an attack on the incumbent is likely to leave them thinking they have little to win by supporting the cause. I don’t think that is smart.
The campaign should be neutral but blunt. Tell them to fully support retaining the airport and to take action to do so BEFORE the election. Marginal Liberals and nats the same, support it.
If they do not then, as a group, Qld aviators should vote against them.
Dont accept promises, accept only action.
Now Caloundra is also an ALOPS. That means the Rudd Labour Government can also act to protect it via their less than capable Minister Albanese. Now again, these guys are facing a close result, 0.5% of voters can make a difference. That means a strong, united and focussed campaign can make a difference. But if political bias is evident from the start it weakens the argument.
So, keep you political cards off your sleeves and good luck.
Andrew Kerans
Just about ALL of our remaining airports in Australia should/could be heritage listed due to the unigue historical backgrounds. From wartime to present there is much to document including the old Bellman hangars used in WW11. Some airports should be heritage listed due to aboriginal remains and artifacts. That would mean no further property development by highly devious firms. It is high time that Australia got rid of bully boy property developers and sent them packing. National security is now paramount and ALL our airports must be retained for the benefit of all. That must surely be the bottom line. As for Caloundra. This is a strategically positioned airport and has played a significant role in servicing aircraft from the southern states due to the loss of GA infrastructure as a direct result of property people crushing out operators with huge rent increases.
Can I ask why you are not having the meeting at the airport, I would like to go and am willing fly in but not drive due to the distance. I am sure there are many like me. It also is the same weekend as Clifton and im sure many pilots would make the round trip, weather permitting.
A show of aircraft will get the local media buzzing and im sure being so close to Brisbane, the City TV stations will also pick it up. Remember they are only a short flight away.
If not this time I recommend it for a future meeting.
Good luck and I agree with Andrews above comments
John Kean
Would Peter Ryan get in touch with me?
Ron.
Peter,
Warren Truss needs to be brought into this.
I don’t know if you are an ALOP airport, but Albanese has left them at the mercy of their local councils.
And they are cutting them up for non aviation purposes and selling them off.
We need political action at the highest level.
Ron.
I READ IN ONE OF THE AVIATION MAGS (DON’T RECALL WHICH) THAT AN AIRFIELD IN VICTORIA WENT THRPOUGH THE SAME PROBLEMS OF RESIDENTIAL ENCROACHMENT AND THEIR PARTICULAR COUNCIL WANTING TO SELL TO REAP IN THE DOLLARS. I KNOW IT WAS ONLY A FEW YEARS AGO AND THE PLIGHT OF THE AIRFIELD WENT TO COURT. THE MAGISTRATE’S FINAL DECISION WAS IN FAVOUR OF THE AIRFIELD STATING THAT PEOPLE HAD NO REASON TO COMPLAIN OF AIRCRAFT NOISE JUST BECAUSE THEY BOUGHT A HOME ADJACENT TO AN AIRFILD, AND AS THE AIRFIELD WAS CONSTRUCTED PRIOR TO ANY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, THE REQUEST TO CLOSE THE AIRFIELD WAS DENIED AND COSTS AWARDED TO THOSE COMPLAINING. AS THIS WOULD HAVE CREATED A PRECEDENT, THEN AVIATION SOLICITORS LIKE MR. CLOUGH WOULD KNOW THE DETAILS AND THUS MAYBE USEFUL IN THE CALOUNDRA SAGA BROUGHT ON BY SAD LOT OF RESIDENTS WHO BOUGHT ADJACENT TO CALOUNDRA AIRFIELD. THEY ALL KNEW IT WAS THERE, MAYBE THEY WERE GIVEN FALSE INFO BY GREEDY REAL ESTATE SALES PEOPLE EAGER TO GET A SALE AT ANY COST.
I AM SURE THAT THIS INFO WOULD BE AVAILABLE IN THE PUBLIC ARENA !!!