WORLD HERITAGE FIRST

To give her some credit, Laura Nelson did publish much of a dissenting article written in response to her report, Cableway to lift tourism says alliance that was published in the Gold Coast Sun, 28 May 2013: see http://springbrooklocale.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/world-heritage-springbrook.html

Instead of using the text as it was presented to her, she took pieces and wrapped them into a new story with a journalistic format: ‘Spence Jamieson said . . . etc.’ To be fair, she has managed to keep most of the spirit of the original, but there have been some changes in the process. In seeking out an electronic copy of the published material on the Internet, I was surprised that it could not be found. So the original newsprint has been scanned and included here. One wonders what system is used to make decisions about what is put onto the Internet and what is excluded.

 
In all of this juggling of words there has been some omissions, but two missing words stand out: ‘prior to.’ It may not seem much to have changed, but it is a critical point to understand. World Heritage matters must be attended to first, ‘prior to’ all of the issues that arise on Springbrook - every one of them. Without this rigourous commitment, the subtleties and sensitivities that the World Heritage listing identifies could easily be trampled, destroyed, in spite of everything that might get named ‘eco.’ The biodiversity of the region is of such importance and significance that it cannot be a secondary concern. We owe it to the world to be responsible for this important place, to care for it. This may mean choosing not to do things at Springbrook irrespective of all other ambitions for place and persons. We must remember that Springbrook shares an importance on the World Heritage list, along with Uluru, Chartres and other unique places on this planet: see - http://springbrooklocale.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/world-heritage.html  Any compromise or 'adjustment' is just not an option.

 

P.S.

Because of the difficulty in reading the scanned text, the Laura Nelson article of 6 June 2013 has been transcribed and published here as it appeared in the paper. This will allow it to be read in conjunction with the original text. One is always tempted to modify poor expression and punctuation, especially with its attribution, but the report has been reproduced complete, without any alterations.

Cableway’s ghost haunts Springbrook

The president of the Springbrook and Wunburra Progress Association (‘Incorporated’ should have been included here) has slammed any talk of a cableway in the area claiming it would be the same as planning a cableway up Uluru.

Spence Jamieson said it was astonishing that the ghost of a cableway still lingered at Springbrook.

“What constantly seems to be forgotten is the fact that Springbrook is part of a World Heritage-listed region and its special qualities are not a figment of anyone extremist’s imagination,” he said.

“A cableway at Springbrook would be like having a cableway at Uluru or Chartres Cathedral, near Paris.

The cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage site, which is visited every year by Christian pilgrims from around the world.

“Other parts of the world which have the privilege of World Heritage sites manage them with pride, commitment and rigour.

“Just look at Uluru and Chartes,” Mr. Jamieson said.

“Springbrook is listed for its unique biodiversity, which requires special awareness, care and sensitivity as its complex ecology is not immediately obvious as a large rock or a building, even though the region might be just as picturesque.”

He said the impact of tourism on the plateau thus needed to be very carefully controlled.

“Dismissing green groups and individuals as radical borders on the juvenile. It’s clear that the rest of the world challenges this perception with our World Heritage listing.”

Mr. Jamieson said Springbrook had to be properly managed in line with the demands of the local population and any desire to broaden its tourism base while protecting the ecology of the area.

“if we press on with commonplace banalities and ignore the essence of this special region, it might soon have to be considered for an endangered listing, along with the Great Barrier Reef and that would be a very bad day,” he said.

In recent years, both Springbrook and Tamborine Mountain have been considered as options for a cableway, which protagonists believe would boost tourism in the region.