Pictured above: is a letter to the editor which appears in todays Townsville Bulletin 26/9
The MCN has lobbied both TCC and the State govt for years for 55 Kelly St Nelly Bay to house a new health clinic for the island along with other community based services ie: MI Care, a community centre etc. Last October when State Govt held a ' Community Cabinet' in Townville we met with Health Minister Shannon Fentiman, 4 Magnetic Island residents spoke with various govt representives in the cabinet regarding the need for upgrade of medical facilities and age care on the island.
In August 2024 TCC isssued this update without any the community consultation.
August 2024
Townsville City Council is responsible for maintenance of the canal sections in Nelly Bay Harbour.
Hydrographic surveys show dredging is required to restore the canal sections to their original design levels.
Carrying out this dredging maintenance will include:
Preparing Council’s Kelly Street site for the management of dredged material
Dredging Nelly Bay Marina to remove around 10,000m3 of material from the canal sections
Moving the dredged material from Nelly Bay Marina to the Kelly Street site and managing
the material for the purpose of recycling.
Using the recycled material across the island for various purposes.
Work to prepare our site at 55-77 Kelly Street has started and will continue in stages up until we begin dredging. This will include fencing and the construction of embankments and walls to form barriers to retain and manage the dredged material in accordance with Council’s approved environmental consent.
Once the proposed site layout and management plans are complete, including details of how the work and storage will meet all environmental approval conditions, Council will share more information with local residents and listen to any community concerns.
Actual dredging work will begin before the end of this financial year and is expected to take around two months. Dredging must be carried out at the appropriate time to minimise impact on the marine environment (i.e. not impacting coral spawning), and to also maintain access to the marina and canals during significant events such as Magnetic Island Race Week.
If you have any questions about this work, please contact the project team during business hours on 13 48 10 or email enquiries@townsville.qld.gov.au.
Contact: Matt Schembri – Principal Major Projects
Thank you for your patience during these necessary works.
see attached TCC definition of 'Community Facilties' and also 'High Impact Industry' ? How can they be the same???
See below TCC definition of ' Community Facilities' 2022
The residents of Magnetic Island are angry and are demanding answers.
According to the Amended Dredge Management Plan submitted, "the project does not trigger a referral under the [Commonwealth] EPBC Act". Presumably that is because the Council or its consultants do not believe that Magnetic Island is part of and included in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA)? This will come as a surprise to some, especially those who noticed that the Dept of Defence has backpedalled swiftly on its proposal to dispose of the abandoned holiday houses on Bremner Point for exactly that reason. They too had been led up this legal garden path and been wedged by their own ignorance and arrogance.
One of my neighbours pointed out to me that he can’t understand why the spoil…