Scarborough Archives - Redcliffe Today

Scarborough Boat Harbour Master Plan Set to Transform Local Community

A new master plan for the Scarborough Boat Harbour has been released, outlining significant changes to improve maritime operations and enhance community access to one of Moreton Bay’s busiest harbours.

Long-Term Vision for the Harbour

The Scarborough Boat Harbour Master Plan, finalised in September 2024, sets a clear direction for the harbour’s future. The plan aims to balance its role as a working harbour with providing better access and amenities for the local community. It includes an expansion of marine berths, additional parking spaces along Oyster Point Esplanade, and dedicated areas for marine activities, tourism, and entertainment.

This will support existing maritime operations and create opportunities for local businesses and residents. The plan also seeks to develop Scarborough as a destination, driving tourism while protecting the environment. The vision reflects feedback from community groups, businesses, and stakeholders who were consulted throughout the process.

Community and Environmental Focus

A central aspect of the master plan is its focus on public access and sustainability. Areas of the harbour will see improved open spaces, better vessel access, and facilities designed to minimise the environmental footprint. The plan also outlines a need to integrate the harbour with surrounding areas and improve traffic and parking management to accommodate future growth.

The community played a significant role in shaping this. The Scarborough Harbour Action Group (SHAG), formed by local residents, initially opposed parts of the proposal. However, after public consultation and revisions, SHAG and other local groups acknowledged improvements in the final version.

The extended public consultation period and incorporation of hundreds of community submissions resulted in what local representatives describe as a “better-balanced plan.”

Invested Collaboration

Queensland’s $4 million investment will help implement the plan in stages. A working group made up of local businesses, community members, and stakeholders will provide input on the project’s next steps. The Department of Transport and Main Roads will collaborate closely with Moreton Bay City Council and other state agencies to ensure the smooth implementation of the master plan.

The plan will guide decisions on future leasing, development, and infrastructure improvements, while respecting the environmental regulations governing Moreton Bay Marine Park. Further assessments, including traffic and environmental studies, will be carried out as part of the implementation process.

This will mark a new chapter for Scarborough Boat Harbour, setting the stage for long-term development that benefits both the local community and Queensland’s maritime industry.

SHAG’s Response to the Plan

Mandy Lake, spokesperson for SHAG, said the group is relieved that the final plan did not include any unexpected changes. She described it as “fairly similar” to earlier this year’s revised plan. SHAG, which was formed to ensure residents and visitors had a voice in the planning process, praised TMR for considering community feedback.

Ms Lake acknowledged that the final plan is a “dramatic improvement” on the initial version, noting that it reflects many of the community’s concerns. She also expressed appreciation for TMR’s commitment to ongoing engagement with Moreton Bay City Council, harbour stakeholders, and the community, stating SHAG is eager to continue providing feedback as the plan is implemented.

Remaining Concerns

Despite these improvements, SHAG still has reservations. Lake expressed disappointment that more green space could not be preserved, though some was saved on the northern arm. Another major concern for SHAG is the potential development of five-storey, 15-metre-high structures on the northern arm of the harbour. TMR has committed to seeking reductions in building heights as part of future amendments to Moreton Bay City Council’s planning scheme, but Lake said the group is preparing for a flood of development applications.

“Our work is by no means done,” Lake remarked, indicating SHAG’s ongoing vigilance as the project moves forward.

Published 3-Oct-2024

Community Input Sought on Scarborough Harbour Master Plan

Community and stakeholder consultation has now opened on the Scarborough Boat Harbour Draft Master Plan, providing an opportunity for locals to have their say on the long-term vision for the popular harbour.

Read: Proposed Project Looks to Revive Abandoned Frawley’s Tennis Club Site

The draft master plan has been informed by initial ideas and feedback gathered from community members and stakeholder groups in 2021. It aims to protect and guide future development at the boat harbour, which is an important part of the social, cultural and economic fabric of Redcliffe Peninsula and the broader Moreton Bay region.

Consultation on the draft plan is critical to ensure community and stakeholder input is incorporated before the master plan is finalised. The finalised document will be used by decision-makers as a strategic tool for protecting and developing the boat harbour.

Draft plan *(Photo credit: tmr.qld.gov.au)*

Scarborough Boat Harbour is one of eight government-owned and operated marinas along the Queensland coastline. Originally constructed in the 1960s and 1970s to encourage recreational boating, these harbors were intended to give boaters safe, all-tide access to the water as well as spur the growth of commercial marine enterprises.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey strongly encouraged community members and stakeholder groups to provide feedback on the draft plan.

Scarborough Harbour Master Plan — Harbour boundary map (Photo credit: tmr.qld.gov.au)

“In doing so, it will provide safe and efficient access to Queensland waters, promote activities that are commercially and environmentally sustainable, support the maritime industry, generate local employment and tourism, and improve the harbour’s appeal for the community and visitors,” said Mr Bailey.

Member for Redcliffe Yvette D’Ath said she welcomes consultation on the draft master plan for the harbour.

“This is an important step in planning for the future of the Redcliffe Peninsula and I look forward to working through the feedback,” she said.

Feedback is open until 11 December 2023 via the Department of Transport and Main Road’s website. Community members are encouraged to review the draft master plan and provide their perspective on the long-term vision proposed for Scarborough Boat Harbour.

Following the community consultation on the draft master plan until December, the Master Plan is expected to be finalised by mid-2024.

Read: Suttons Beach Pavilion to Get a New Look with National Architectural Design Competition

Published 17-November-2023

Looking For: Operator for New Barge Service from Redcliffe to Moreton Island

Photo credit: Sarah Stewart, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

The planned reactivation of a barge service that will transport passengers from Redcliffe to Moreton Island (Mulgumpin) may have to wait a little longer as the State Government opens another tender process to find a willing operator.

Despite strong community support for a new barge service between Redcliffe Peninsula and Moreton Island, the future of the proposed project is still unclear as no decision has been made yet as to who the proponent would be.

The State Government has already committed $4 million to go towards building related infrastructure that will make the project commercially viable. Specifically, the amount will fund the construction of a road to allow access to the barge landing site along with a seawall.

Several calls for a tender have already been made and whilst several proponents responded to the calls, an operator is yet to be officially named. A new invitation to offer was opened on 5 November 2021 and will close at 3:00 p.m. on 14 January 2022.

“The State is seeking offers from appropriately qualified and experienced Proponents with demonstrated experience in developing, owning and operating a commercial barge service and who are willing to establish a new service from a location on the Redcliffe Peninsula to Moreton Island (Mulgumpin),” the new invitation stated.

Combie Trader II ceased to operate beginning 2008 and since then, locals have been calling for the reinstatement of the defunct barge service. In 2017, the State Government funded a business case study and identified that the most suitable spot for the proposed project is at the northern arm of Scarborough Boat Harbor. However, other sites could also be considered depending on the outcome of the invitation to offer.

“While the initial process didn’t find a viable commercial opportunity at this location, we know there is still strong interest to potentially operate it from other sites on the peninsula,” Member for Redcliffe Yvette D’Ath said in a statement late last year.

“That’s why I’ve asked Minister Bailey and his department to expand the EOI process to see what opportunities might be available for other sites.”

Paraplegic Scarborough Resident on the Road to Recovery with NDIS Support

Robert Van Kuyl, a 65-year-old paraplegic and Scarborough resident, is on the road to recovery, with goals set to be out of his wheelchair by Christmas.

After a helicopter accident in 2018, Robert was left paralysed and unable to walk, but with the help of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, or NDIS, he is finally gaining strength and aims to be out of his wheelchair by the end of 2021.

The 65-year-old Scarborough resident regularly exercises to improve his strength and his ability to walk with crutches. With the aid of his NDIS support workers, Robert is able to regularly exercise and build up his muscles to help him navigate and maneuver around.

“My support worker drives me to exercise therapy at Burleigh where I do my two-hour training session,” said Robert. “The job they do there is amazing; they push you in that gym and the improvements are mind-blowing.”

“I can now stand up in the kitchen and get food ready for cooking independently, can walk 30 metres and getting even better over the last year; I couldn’t do a leg press when I started, but now I can do a 55 kilogram leg press.”

Robert’s daily routine starts with him performing stretches in the morning with the aid of his supports, who then accompany him and help him do the rounds as he goes to see his friends, do some gardening, and go to hydrotherapy. As part of his exercises, Robert also busies himself with the pool and weight training.

Exercise alone wasn’t enough to help Robert recover, as he had also received a stem cell transplant in Germany in 2018. “The stem cells have opened enough doors to make my life better than it was four years ago, with my exercise therapy helping too,” he commented.

With the aid of his NDIS supports, Robert has managed to adapt and become strong enough to step in and out of his motorhome and have a hand walker to help him walk around. Now, his goal is to be able to get in and out using only crutches.

Robert received help to apply for, and make use of his NDIS funding from Carers Queensland’s NDIS Local Area Coordination Partner in the Community Program for the Moreton Bay region. To learn more about the NDIS, visit their website here. Follow their social media pages on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for the latest on the services they can provide, as well as any other relevant events, dates, and exciting updates.

Off-Leash Trial at Queens Beach North in Scarborough Extended

Doggos will have more time to run free along Queens Beach North in Scarborough as the Moreton Bay Regional Council extended the off-leash trial up to the end of March 2019.

The off-leash trial on the stretch of Queens Beach North was supposed to have ended in October 2018. However, the trial was so popular among the locals that the council decided to extend it.

What will make fur parents happier is that the trial, this time around, will have no time restrictions, so their beloved pets will be free to play at the beach 24 hours a day. The initial trial only allowed the pooches to run off leash from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.

While pet lovers welcome the news, there are those who fear that allowing dogs to run freely 24 hours a day may eventually lead to someone getting bitten. Those who are not in favour of the 24-hour off-leash area fear that there is no safe time for families with young children at the beach.

Opposing locals started a petition on Change.org to ask the council to keep Queens Beach North dog free. They listed several reasons such as dogs harassing swimmers or dogs interfering with beach-goers’ belongings. They also complained that the beach does not have perimeter fencing, so some dog owners can’t easily control their dogs from leaving the beach area and interfering with cyclists and joggers on the footpath.

The council noted that there have been no untoward incidents reported during the trial, thus the continuation and the lifting of the time limit for the off-leash beach area.