THE Birkdale Progress Association has called for bushland the council wants to buy to be protected for its environmental, Indigenous and heritage significance.
President Pam Spence said the 80-hectare Birkdale bushland and adjacent Willard’s farm could become the jewel of the Redlands.
“This wonderful piece of open space lies 25 minutes from the Brisbane CBD, close to public transport and on the way to the ferry terminal at Cleveland,” she said. “It has environmental, Indigenous and European significance that must be valued.”
Ms Spence said the association had been told that prior to European settlement the land was a tribal meeting ground, where wrestling matches took place.
“The BPA has applied for Commonwealth-heritage listing of the (adjacent) communications centre, formerly the US radio receiving station, built in 1942 by General Douglas MacArthur for the war effort.
“The building, situated in an open section of the land, should be protected as a museum telling the story of the Australian-American war effort and the history of radio.”
The association’s appeal comes as activist group Redlands 2030 asked council to form a community group to advise on the future use of the land.
Redlands 2030’s Tom Taranto said organisations such as the Birkdale Progress Association, Koala Action Group, Bayside Branch of Wildlife Queensland and Redlands 2030 should be part of the group.
“We consider the formation of a community reference group a prudent step that will strengthen efforts to secure the land for community benefits,” he said.
“Among other things, the group, carrying the interests of the local community, could lobby the Commonwealth for the historic and environmentally sensitive land to be surrendered for public purposes at no cost.
“The Commonwealth’s decision to hand over land at Maroubra to the NSW government for community purposes sets the standard for how the government should deal with what should be the Birkdale parklands.”
