Save Mooloolaba Esp. Caravan Park
Donation protected
PLEASE HELP SAVE THE MOOLOOLABA ESPLANADE CARAVAN PARK!
As you may be aware, the Sunshine Coast Regional Council has recently confirmed its decision to close the iconic Mooloolaba Esplanade Caravan Park as part of its ‘Masterplan’ for the future of Mooloolaba, notwithstanding that four councillors strenuously opposed the proposal to close the caravan park. Unfortunately, it seems that little consideration has been given to the heritage and cultural importance of this site, given that it has been used for camping and caravanning for approximately 100 years.
In an effort to save the Mooloolaba Esplanade Caravan Park we have established an action plan and put in place a committee to execute the plan. This fund is being set up to assist with the costs associated with executing the plan, including applying to the Queensland Heritage Council to have the site heritage listed. If the caravan park is heritage listed by the Queensland Heritage Council, the local council will be prevented from closing the caravan park and developing or using the land for any purpose other than that for it is heritage listed.
We believe that the heritage listing application has good prospects given the significant history of the caravan park (and oceanfront camping generally) at Mooloolaba and its contribution to the early tourism industry on the Sunshine Coast. Oceanfront caravan parks are becoming increasingly rare - another factor which the Queensland Heritage Council will take into consideration. There is also precedent for heritage listing of caravan parks on the Sunshine Coast, with caravan parks at Cotton Tree, Caloundra (Hibiscus) and Noosa having been heritage listed in 2009.
In addition to the heritage listing application, we will be lobbying the Queensland Government for its support as the owner of the land. Currently the council leases the land from the Queensland Government and operates it as a caravan park pursuant to its lease, which will expire in mid-2017. As the council will be seeking to renew its lease of the land and change the use of the land to fit with its proposed plans, support from State Government to retain the existing use will further assist this action group in conjunction with the proposed heritage listing.
At this stage, we do not have indicative estimates of the likely costs that will be incurred in executing this action plan. However, we have identified that there will be various costs including application and lodgement fees, specialist expert fees (eg. town planning advice, environmental advice, legal advice and the like), document production costs and other costs associated with the collation of historical information and other supporting evidence to support the heritage listing application. These costs will accumulate into the thousands of dollars very quickly, so your assistance is greatly appreciated – in essence, the more funds that can be raised to support the cause will mean that we can engage experts in the necessary fields in order to put our best foot forward and have the best chance of protecting this precious asset of the Sunshine Coast, and indeed, Queensland.
Any balance funds which are not required to be expended for the cause will be donated to a local charity on the Sunshine Coast.
We are kicking things off with the preparation of the application NOW, so if you are keen to get on board and assist us, please do so as soon as you can!
Thank you.
As you may be aware, the Sunshine Coast Regional Council has recently confirmed its decision to close the iconic Mooloolaba Esplanade Caravan Park as part of its ‘Masterplan’ for the future of Mooloolaba, notwithstanding that four councillors strenuously opposed the proposal to close the caravan park. Unfortunately, it seems that little consideration has been given to the heritage and cultural importance of this site, given that it has been used for camping and caravanning for approximately 100 years.
In an effort to save the Mooloolaba Esplanade Caravan Park we have established an action plan and put in place a committee to execute the plan. This fund is being set up to assist with the costs associated with executing the plan, including applying to the Queensland Heritage Council to have the site heritage listed. If the caravan park is heritage listed by the Queensland Heritage Council, the local council will be prevented from closing the caravan park and developing or using the land for any purpose other than that for it is heritage listed.
We believe that the heritage listing application has good prospects given the significant history of the caravan park (and oceanfront camping generally) at Mooloolaba and its contribution to the early tourism industry on the Sunshine Coast. Oceanfront caravan parks are becoming increasingly rare - another factor which the Queensland Heritage Council will take into consideration. There is also precedent for heritage listing of caravan parks on the Sunshine Coast, with caravan parks at Cotton Tree, Caloundra (Hibiscus) and Noosa having been heritage listed in 2009.
In addition to the heritage listing application, we will be lobbying the Queensland Government for its support as the owner of the land. Currently the council leases the land from the Queensland Government and operates it as a caravan park pursuant to its lease, which will expire in mid-2017. As the council will be seeking to renew its lease of the land and change the use of the land to fit with its proposed plans, support from State Government to retain the existing use will further assist this action group in conjunction with the proposed heritage listing.
At this stage, we do not have indicative estimates of the likely costs that will be incurred in executing this action plan. However, we have identified that there will be various costs including application and lodgement fees, specialist expert fees (eg. town planning advice, environmental advice, legal advice and the like), document production costs and other costs associated with the collation of historical information and other supporting evidence to support the heritage listing application. These costs will accumulate into the thousands of dollars very quickly, so your assistance is greatly appreciated – in essence, the more funds that can be raised to support the cause will mean that we can engage experts in the necessary fields in order to put our best foot forward and have the best chance of protecting this precious asset of the Sunshine Coast, and indeed, Queensland.
Any balance funds which are not required to be expended for the cause will be donated to a local charity on the Sunshine Coast.
We are kicking things off with the preparation of the application NOW, so if you are keen to get on board and assist us, please do so as soon as you can!
Thank you.
Organizer
Danielle Ryan
Organizer
Bracken Ridge, QLD