Minutes of TAPP Inc. May 3rd, 2022
Held at the Caloundra Power Boat Club
All welcomed by Paul Harney President of TAPP
Paul acknowledged the traditional owners of the land on which we meet – the Kabi Kabi, the Jinibara and the Bribie Island Joondabarrie people.
Member attendance: – as per attendance book (10)
Apologies : – as per attendance book (9)
Motion put that the apologies be accepted
Moved: Paul Seconded: Graeme Carried
Minutes of Previous General Meeting
Motion put that the minutes of the March meeting be accepted as a true record.
Moved: Graeme Seconded: Tony Carried
Business arising from the minutes of the previous meeting.
None reported
Correspondence
• OSCAR Newsletter
• SCEC Newsletter – WED update & Inter Urban Break
• Mark Stephens (Stockland) Aura Environment Day postponed and Susie Chapman’s replacement
• Craig McHardy – traffic control in Diamond Head
• Morton Bay Redland Workshop at Redland Bay – Wetland Management
• Email to set up meeting with David Crisafulli and Jarrod Bleijie re: break through
• BIEPA Forum – April 10 ( Graeme Presented)
• Kirralee Livingstone – USC journalism student email seeking information on the break through
• Mr. Schloss – concerned resident who is writing emails to Government departments in regard to the breakthrough and is keeping us in the loop.
• Queensland Water and Land Care (QWaLC) – newsletter
• Tony Barry – Update on Mass Transit submission, Transit Corridor Upgrade, the new Council Plan, mangrove planting in the blue heart and the sea wall in NSW
• Bells Creek – emails from Shadforths re: erosion control
• USC and UQ students completing PhD’s on the sand movement in the Passage
• Gail Podberscek – shared a response from MSQ about noise and the need for change to the speed limit south of Military Jetty.
Motion put that the correspondence be endorsed and accepted
Moved: Paul Seconded: Graeme Carried
Treasurer’s Report for Take Action for Pumicestone Passage TAPP Inc.
April 2022
TAPP BENDIGO BANK CASH MANAGEMENT ACCOUNT
Total Balance of General Account and Bells Creek Fund Administration Account brought
forward from 1/04/2022 $ 23,871.17
TAPP GENERAL ACCOUNT
As of 30 April 2022
Balance brought forward from 1/04/2022 $ 21,920.36
Interest 01/04/2022 $ .20
Credits:
Direct Deposits: Annual Membership Payments (@$20)
1. Michael McNamarra $ 20.00
Debits:
1. Payments:
a. Payment to Don Richie – Memorial Bench $ 170.00
Balance as of 30/04/2022 $ 21,770.56
BELLS CREEK FUND ADMINISTRATION ACCOUNT for Healthy Land and Water
As of 30 April 2022
Balance brought forward from 1/04/2022 $ 1,950.81
Credits: $ 0.00
Debits: $ 0.00
Balance as of 30/04/2022 $ 1,950.81
TOTAL
TAPP General Account $ 21,920.36
TAPP Bells Creek Fund Administration Account $ 1,950.81
Balance of General Account and Bells Creek Fund Administration Account as of
30/04/ 2022 $ 23,721.37
Financial Membership: The number of Financial Members currently stands at 53.
Moved : Don Seconded: Lyn that this report be accepted as a true record of our account to date.
2. Matters for Information
Ramsar Brochure Update: There are 5000 Brochures on order with Stickerman Signs and they should be ready to collect later this week. These will be used as handouts at events such as World Environment Day and Aura Environment Day or any time promotional opportunities arise. The Brochure is a folded A3 document and we will need to fold again into a trifold before handing out.
Bribie Island Breakthrough – Paul & Ken met with David Crisafulli, Leader of the Opposition and Jarrod Bleijie, Member for Kawana for a brief discussion on the Bribie island Breakthrough. They had inspected the opening and we asked that they work co-operatively with the Government to create a Bipartisan solution to the impacts resulting from the Breakthrough. Unfortunately it seems they are using this as a political opportunity to challenge the Government and Local Member and that will not benefit the local community or the Passage.
Speed Limits in the Passage: MSQ have imposed new speed limits in the Passage which do little to protect sensitive areas south of Miltary Jetty or in Bells Creek. They fall short of the recommendations from the TAPP submission supported by local community groups. A letter to MSQ requesting a review on the basis of safety and the impact on the environment was answered with the suggestion we contact the Department of Environnment and Science (DES) with our concerns.
A letter was sent to DES requesting urgent consideration of the environmental impact of high speeds. The response to this, completely ignored our request and stated we would be invited to contribute to the review of the Moreton Bay Marine Park zoning plan. We are listed as a key stakeholder for this process.
Pumicestone Passage Catchment Management Body: Graeme reported on the activities of the group. Graeme gave a presentation to a meeting of BIEPA which was well received and resulted in some membership interest from there. Graeme has also spoken to the Australian Geographic Society in Brisbane an also spoke at a Rotary meeting. These groups all agree with change to the management of the Passage and all were interested to know more about the Bribie Island Breakthrough. Australian Geographic Society was amazed at the size of the Breakthrough or the damage it has done. They will do some research and Graeme will provide further information for them. Two draft brochures have been created, one to describe the breakthrough and one to explain the objectives of PPCMB. Graeme also reported that due to increasing sand bars in the Passage, the Coast Guard can no longer get their boat out the old Bar or to the new opening at anything below mid tide. This can be a serious safety issue. Coast has reported that 90% of their rescues have been from people visiting.
Graeme has contacted Jason Hunt to ask if action can be taken to assist the Coast Guard by dredging as required to open the navigation channel. The Council has also been approached, however, requires special approval from Government to change dredging areas.
Biosphere Report: Meetings held monthly and attended by Ken who is on the Community Reference Group. Planning is in progress for management of the Biosphere if the area is designated as such. We expect we may hear the UNESCO decision in June. The north end of the Passage is an area of difficulty for the management process. This will be in the Biosphere reserve area but is outside Council Control whose jurisdiction ends at the high-water mark. The north end of Bribie Island is in the Pumicestone Electorate.
Some general discussion on dredging and management restrictions placed on the Council regarding ability to conduct maintenance activities.
The Inter Urban Break: We have met with the Federal Greens Candidate, Renay Wells to discuss issues important to TAPP. We have a meeting booked with the Labor Candidate, Judene Andrews.
We discussed the IUB with Renay and the breakthrough as important issues concerning TAPP. We will also discuss these with Judene Andrews when we meet.
We have impressed the importance of retaining the inter urban break free from development and the benefit to the community that it provides. We need to maintain the break to avoid development sprawl between here and Caboolture.
The Council has always supported protection of the IUB and this is endorsed by TAPP. We are concerned at potential development in the Halls Creek area and support Beerwah East as a preferred area. The Council are working hard to ensure Beerwah East can be approved for development prior to the expiration of other development land.
We are having an online meeting with SCEC tomorrow to further discuss options for protecting the area. We were previously part of the Halls Creek Alliance of local community groups who successfully had the Halls Creek area re designated as a Potential Future Investigation Area for development (PFIA) instead of previous designation of Identified Growth Area (IGA). We need to go the next step now and request complete removal from the South East Queensland Regional Plan (SEQRP). Tomorrows meeting is to discuss issues associated with the IUB and to formulate a plan of action to progress this goal.
Storm Water: Graeme has been in communication with Council to arrange a meeting with Tom Jameison who is responsible for Council fixed assets, such as stormwater. Since the breakthrough, stormwater has backed up the drains and is of concern to residents. The Council are developing some different approaches for stormwater in the area and Graeme advised they will provide a community briefing next month. He will let us know as soon as he is aware of the time.
The issue at present is the result of the higher tidal range where saltwater can now flow back up the stormwater drains. In a storm season this could result in flooding of the local areas. In a normal cyclone season this could be further exacerbated. This year there were 7 cyclones and normally there would have been 10.
Research Engineering Students from USC: Graeme has spoken with Helen Fairweather, a scientist from USC who has organized for some students to conduct studies on water quality and tidal flow in the Passage. A device called a “drifter” will be used to measure both water quality and tidal current. Information from these tests go direct to an online storage accessible by the USC for research purposes. A couple of students are doing honours studies on the Passage. One Student awaiting results of completed studies and has returned to her home overseas. These studies will define water sediment, sand etc and tidal flow. These studies should help establish some baseline data to monitor changes. Council expressed concerns about the independent studies and would prefer an official singular approach.
Roy’s Road Project and Hussey Creek (Citizen Science projects): Paul has been in contact with Peter Dellow from Sunshine Coast Council. Peter would like TAPP to be involved with these projects previously organized by Healthy Land and Water. In Susie’s absence, Peter has been waiting for contact with her replacement to progress these.
Jensen Park Planting project: Hamish Pressland contacted Paul during the week to advise that the Jensen Park re vegetation project is almost ready to proceed. TAPP have been invited to participate with this as a Bushcare Group.
Bush Care: Paul also reminded members of the Bushcare group work at Golden Beach on Thursday 12th May. This group meets at Ayliffe Park at 08:00 am and then works in the local area, planting, weeding etc. Members and friends welcome to join the group.
3.Matters for Discussion:
World Environment Day and Aura Environment Day are two events that TAPP have undertaken to contribute to this year. We have normally been involved as a stall holder with World Environment Day and have attended events at Aura on World Wetland Day.
TAPP have received a grant from Aura Community Grants to support both events. We will host a local World Environment Day event at Jensen Park, Bells Creek Esplanade, Pelican Waters on 5th June. Aura Environment Day will be celebrated on 17th July at Baringa.
The WED event was to have been held at the TS Onslow site but due to damage resulting from the Bribie Island Breakthrough this site is no longer suitable. Our options were limited for alternatives, however, Henzells have kindly offered to allow us to use the newly developed Jensen Park. This is slightly out of the way for the locals of Golden Beach but is very local for residents of Diamond Head and Pelican Waters.
There have been invitations sent to more than 20 local community groups and response from 14 so far. Expect more will be attending but have not yet confirmed.
Help is needed to arrange the event and to run the event on 5th June. Volunteers will be needed on site at 07:30 on the day to help set up TAPP Marquee and help marshall other groups to a designated site. I need some volunteers to help with organizing the event and also to talk with visitors, hand out information etc on the day. The event will finish at 2:00 pm and clean up and packing up will happen after that time.
Similar assistance will be needed at Baringa on the Day of the Aura Environment Day event but we have meetings again before then so more time to arrange.
Members were asked to sign on a volunteer list and thanks to those that have. Further volunteers are welcome and can advise their availability by email.
Local publicity is needed to put up posters etc and pass on the information to friends and contacts. All community groups invited will publicise through their networks.
Bells Creek and Jensen Park Project:
Bells Creek project in a delay phase due to Susie Chapman being on leave. Stage 1 has been completed with vegetation planting and access locations more clearly defined. Stage 2 involves a little more work, possible infrastructure including constructed kayak access locations and approved signage which needs to be designed. The signage also requires approval from the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Converge. In addition approval is required from Council for any signs in the area.
Approval is also required from Government Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) and Department of Environment (DES). It is a very complex issue and as funding is provided by National Land Plan through Healthy Land and Water, Susie’s absence has made planning difficult so postponing the work until a replacement for Susie so the Council representative can become involved with planning. Henzells have also offered support for the project.
Jensen Park will be the most likely location for us to be involved with active work, in the meantime, with the support of Henzell and it will involve some planting and bushcare work.
Shadforth Engineering, currently working at Aura have offered support for the Bells Creek project. Mark Lonergan from Shadforth visited the Bells Creek site last week accompanied by Paul, John, Graeme and Ken to consider options for erosion control. They use root balls for this. A root ball being the root section of trees that have been removed from development sites etc. Mark was shown the extent of erosion and he has been supplied with all current documentation relating to the project.
TAPP role in the project is to co-ordinate the participants. We can only act in accordance with approvals and as explained these are currently on hold.
Paul advised the meeting that He and Di are moving and will be further away so will not be standing for election as President at the AGM. Paul has asked for members to consider nominating for a position on the committee.
We also need to consider the meeting times and think if there is a more suitable time that will allow others to attend, particularly younger people. TAPP have 53 financial members and less than half can attend meetings. There is no guarantee that we can always have the room at the Power Boat Club as this is provided for free, they are obligated to accept paid bookings in favour of our use of the room. There will eventually be a new community centre at Pelican Waters and TAPP may be able to have a permanent access to a room there. Members are asked to consider all these issues for resolution at the AGM.
This will be put as a notice of motion for the AGM.
Around the Table:
Judy mentioned the feeling of helplessness as the Bribie Island Breakthrough changes the area. The sand build-up in the mangroves of the Costigan Boardwalk has happened so quickly.
Glen mentioned that the “Powers that be” had not made themselves aware of the consequences of the change to a tourist destination. Boat access and the environment is something that has been lost. It is important to get boats moving again in the area.
Graeme asserts that we need scientific evidence of the reasons and the impacts. He is concerned that we cannot see the Terms of Reference for planned study.
The meeting closed at 4:22. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday 7th June