ON DYING - THE ASTONISHING GLENN TOZER AND EX-MINISTER BATES

. . . who are apparently bringing dying Springbrook back to life!

see

http://www.glenntozer.com.au/general/bringing-springbrook-back-to-life/

Bringing Springbrook “back to life”

May 2, 2013 | Categories : General • Glenn Tozer • 0 Comments

Lately, there’s been some public dialogue about the challenges Springbrook Mountain has faced over the past years, reportedly plagued with decisions of previous state governments that has apparently stymied growth and created prohibitive regulations for tourism businesses to ply their potentially lucrative trade.

The last 12 months I’ve had the privilege of meeting many residents and businesses from Springbrook and without wanting to make comment on previous government decisions, I’ve been trying to apply a fresh set of eyes to the challenges Springbrook Mountain faces. One characteristic I’ve observed common to many on the Mountain is a fiery passion for “the best for Springbrook”, defined by whatever set of actions the individual determines can achieve that “best”. I’m convinced that harnessing that passion into some common goals could be productive although, granted, I’m relatively new to any advocacy objectives for our local World Heritage listed area, so I do tread carefully when attempting to lead some sort of charge for better outcomes.

In a recent Gold Coast Bulletin article, Ros Bates, State MP for Mudgeeraba, was quoted as saying Springbrook “is dying (and) it has been since 2005″.

Ros would know. She’s been an active commentator and committed community partner in our area for many years now. Ros and I meet regularly to address common challenges in our constituencies, including those in Springbrook. We’ve been talking most recently regarding improving safety and signage on Springbrook Rd, delivering better pathways and infrastructure, and optimising the use of community open space. Ros and I share a similar view about the “big hearts” and fighting spirit of the Springbrook residents. 

In the midst of what appears to be doom and gloom, I thought it appropriate to outline some of the steps the City of Gold Coast has been taking over the past 12-18 months or so to enable businesses on Springbrook Mountain and supplement the State Government’s initiative to improve the economy.

• Implement Springbrook Visioning Plan 2011
• identify key management areas and implement recommendations to improve Springbrook’s tourism in accordance with carrying capacity and in turn, economic sustainability
• Complete and implement recommendations Springbrook Signage Audit 2012
• identify ways to improve visitor way-finding
• Springbrook Business Mentoring Program (Jan-June 2013)
• 6 companies are receiving one-on-one mentoring to develop and/or update marketing and business plans
• Assistance to develop the Springbrook Chamber of Commerce social media and other websites
• Springbrook Tourism Destination Action Plan (2012)
• included a community workshop to identify issues, target markets and visitor statistics, audit on product/services available, SWOT analysis and identified priority actions
• Encourage Springbrook businesses to engage with Gold Coast Tourism for promotional opportunities and align with initiatives such as Tourism Australia’s ‘Australia’s Green Cauldron’ National Landscape program.
• Currently undertaking a study to determine the most suitable site for a visitor information gateway
• Springbrook Tourism Working Group formed to progress issues and tourism projects
• (membership includes the Chamber of Commerce, Springbrook Mountain Community Association, GECKO, Communities for Sustainable Futures (CSF) and Springbrook Wilderness Appreciation Group (SWAG))

Council is very committed to play our role working with Springbrook Mountain to identify ways it can assist the development of tourism, while protecting the natural environment and preserving the lifestyle in order to provide long-term economic sustainability and certainty for businesses.

I am very much encouraged by the work of Springbrook groups lately, taking matters into their own hands to drive three particular events which I’m very proud to promote. Firstly, Springbrook Chamber of Commerce invited Jazz singer Vince Jones to the Mountain last month for a “Jazz in the Rainforest” concert. I’m told the event was sold out and a phenomenal success. Kudos to Anastasia for her work as the brainchild of this event.

ANZAC Day on the Mountain this year was a privilege to be a part of. Over 70 made the dawn service and several hundred attended the morning service celebrating the service  and sacrifice of Australians in conflicts of the past 100 years. John, Jeff and Colin did a great job.

Finally, Mfest (A Celebration of Motherhood) is being held on the 11^th May and this unique event fills an important niche for many mothers in the area around Mothers Day. Maryan is doing some excellent work raising the profile of the event in the Gold Coast community.

I want to encourage you to drive on up and check Springbrook Mountain out for yourself. Beautiful views, challenging and interesting bushwalks, great cafes and accommodation, the best fudge in the world (in my opinion), and a wonderful friendly community well worth the visit.

It seems that Mr. Tozer knows, apparently like ex-Minister Bates, that ‘Springbrook is dying (and) has been since 2005.’ Just what criteria he uses for his agreeing with this statement is unknown. Exactly what is dying? What is meant by this? It is extremely serious. If Springbrook is dying, what is Mr. Tozer intending to do about it? Just agree? Springbrook is after all a World Heritage-listed region. Governments have responsibilities to maintain this region that has been listed because of its bio-diversity. Now this has nothing to do with any picturesque, tourist prettiness or the services offered in the area. The listing has everything to do with life itself, its miscellany, complexity and its care. New species of flora and fauna are still being found at Springbrook. We need to protect it. So, if the area is ‘dying,’ as is so clearly declared and supported by Mr. Tozer in the article on his web site, then specific action is needed. It could be critical.

Mr. Tozer does spell out just what he has been doing and what he intends to do:

'improving safety and signage on Springbrook Rd, delivering better pathways and infrastructure, and optimising the use of community open space. Ros and I share a similar view about the “big hearts” and fighting spirit of the Springbrook residents.'

But Springbrook has far too many signs now: see SIGNS OF THE TIMES http://springbrooklocale.blogspot.com.au/2011/06/signs-of-times.html ; and Mr. Tozer only mocked the idea to slow traffic down: see CONSULTATION  http://springbrooklocale.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/consultation.html  What does he intend? What community space? What pathways? How does this relate to World Heritage? How does this enhance it; enrich it; protect it?

He continues with more detail:

'In the midst of what appears to be doom and gloom, I thought it appropriate to outline some of the steps the City of Gold Coast has been taking over the past 12-18 months or so to enable businesses on Springbrook Mountain and supplement the State Government’s initiative to improve the economy.

• Implement Springbrook Visioning Plan 2011
• identify key management areas and implement recommendations to improve Springbrook’s tourism in accordance with carrying capacity and in turn, economic sustainability
• Complete and implement recommendations Springbrook Signage Audit 2012
• identify ways to improve visitor way-finding
• Springbrook Business Mentoring Program (Jan-June 2013)
• 6 companies are receiving one-on-one mentoring to develop and/or update marketing and business plans
• Assistance to develop the Springbrook Chamber of Commerce social media and other websites
• Springbrook Tourism Destination Action Plan (2012)
• included a community workshop to identify issues, target markets and visitor statistics, audit on product/services available, SWOT analysis and identified priority actions
• Encourage Springbrook businesses to engage with Gold Coast Tourism for promotional opportunities and align with initiatives such as Tourism Australia’s ‘Australia’s Green Cauldron’ National Landscape program.
• Currently undertaking a study to determine the most suitable site for a visitor information gateway
• Springbrook Tourism Working Group formed to progress issues and tourism projects
• (membership includes the Chamber of Commerce, Springbrook Mountain Community Association, GECKO, Communities for Sustainable Futures (CSF) and Springbrook Wilderness Appreciation Group (SWAG))

Council is very committed to play our role working with Springbrook Mountain to identify ways it can assist the development of tourism, while protecting the natural environment and preserving the lifestyle in order to provide long-term economic sustainability and certainty for businesses.'

To summarise, the subject matters include:

• Tourism
• Tourism
• Business
• Business
• Tourism
• Business/Tourism
• Tourism
• Tourism

Only at the very end is there the statement about ‘protecting natural environment’ in this World Heritage region. It reads almost as an aside:

'Council is very committed to play our role working with Springbrook Mountain to identify ways it can assist the development of tourism, while protecting the natural environment and preserving the lifestyle in order to provide long-term economic sustainability and certainty for businesses.'

Just what precisely is the astonishing Glenn Tozer actually doing for the environment, for the maintenance of this World Heritage region? If one can gauge his intention through his statements - this is always dangerous with a politician, see: REMEMBER - http://springbrooklocale.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/remember.html - then one might assume he is doing nothing, not one thing! Everything seems to be based on business and tourism - increasing or ‘growing,’ as the jargon goes, these activities. How does this relate to World Heritage?

The great danger with this approach has been analysed in WHO OR WHAT IS A TOURIST? - see: http://springbrooklocale.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/who-or-what-is-tourist.html  Catering for tourism does not protect World Heritage interests. Tourism becomes an indulgent game in its own right that needs to be carefully managed - away from Springbrook if World Heritage is to be taken seriously. Biodiversity is critical. Tourist crowds and biodiversity do not mix well. If tourist activity on Springbrook is allowed to blossom out of control without any reference to World Heritage values, then the situation is very serious. Springbrook may indeed ‘die’ - but will the politicians care? Who knows?

Running a business on Springbrook is something that also needs to be carefully managed in relation to World Heritage matters. Killing the thing most loved is just too easy. The history of business activity on Springbrook needs to be looked at closely too. Much can be and needs to be learned. Having a Councillor apparently concentrating only on tourism and business when the core matter is World Heritage is a serious concern. That ex-Minister Bates should seemingly be happy to stand by and do nothing but attend to tourism and business issues, like Mr. Tozer, while nothing appears to be done for the environment but the blurting out of platitudes by both, is a sad case indeed. Is this the way a politician should act? World Heritage needs to be the core reference for everything that happens on Springbrook. Anything less is inadequate. Just why Springbrook as a whole should be managed to suit business and tourist activity alone remains a puzzle. Are our politicians so ignorant on matters of World Heritage that they just don’t care? Mr. Tozer has been told of this position - this need for World Heritage priority. One can only assume that perhaps he is careless, or maybe just not interested?

If our politicians mean that businesses, and tourism that uses these businesses on Springbrook, are ‘dying’ - Is this what they mean? What’s the evidence? Heresay? Self-interested business assessments? - then this is a silly statement to generalise to make it sound as though Springbrook itself is dying. Are businesses the essence of Springbrook? How many folk go to Springbrook just to enjoy the place, its World Heritage values, as compared to those who come for some distracting entertainment? People don’t go to Springbrook to go shopping. Gosh, they cannot even purchase fuel - petrol or diesel - on the mountain. Perhaps these folk who are interested in the World Heritage experience are not interested in using businesses as presently set up at Springbrook. They may have other ambitions and intentions that might be as simple as a BYO picnic. Why not? Why diminish the activity of these visitors? Why evaluate everything about Springbrook on business visitations alone? Maybe those interested in World Heritage matters choose to keep well away from tourist-supporting businesses? Gosh, even some locals do! In any case, why should folk coming to Springbrook have to use any service offered by any business? Why should anyone? Is it just because the individuals running the businesses would like more custom - greater profits - and they, perhaps, nag the politicians? Are these profits needed just to make businesses more attractive for their sale? What has this to do with Wolrd Heritage? With Springbrook? What custom is going to be enough? Is there a limit to desired profits? What are the limits of visitation on Springbrook if World Heritage values are to be maintained? What is expected? Does anyone know - or care?

It seems to me that Mr. Tozer and what appears to be ‘his mate,’ the ex-Minister Bates, need to read more on World Heritage issues, and try to understand precisely what World Heritage actually means, and then make a commitment to it. Mr. Tozer seems to think Springbrook is all about:

'Beautiful views, challenging and interesting bushwalks, great cafes and accommodation, the best fudge in the world (in my opinion), and a wonderful friendly community well worth the visit.'

The World Heritage declaration is not just another tourism slogan. It is a serious acknowledgement of the unique biodiversity in the region: truly ‘world class’ if you can overcome the cliché. To make it clearer, Springbrook sits beside Uluru, Sydney Opera House, Chartres Cathedral and the Taj Mahal on the World Heritage schedule. The listing has primary and necessary requirements that are far more critical than maintaining the health and profits of any business or having fun and fudge in the bush. This is why World Heritage issues must be the priority. One wonders just what matters are reviewed for compatibility when businesses are given free Council advice? Are there any? Businesses are not listed as World Heritage.

Left unmanaged, World Heritage matters quickly and very easily get out of control. If World Heritage values are to be sustained and enriched, then they need to be carefully considered as the prime starting point for everything that happens on the plateau. To do otherwise simply seems to be negligent. But there is no necessary need for World Heritage, tourism and business to be different. The dissimilar ambition and intent of these activities cause the problems. That either tourism or business might choose to insist on a strategy that ignores World Heritage issues, will only end up as a serous problem for all activity. Why do the astonishing Glenn Tozer and ex-Minister Bates not realise this? Why do businesses not realise this? Why are tourist operators blind to this circumstance? They appear to be, ‘eco’ or not. Only with a commitment to World Heritage will business and tourism truly thrive; but it might be a different sense of thriving to that envisaged only as desired profits and, maybe, future property sales.

P.S.  ON DYING

Was it Mr. Tozer who appeared to offer his support for vertical burials in a ‘green’ cemetery: see http://springbrooklocale.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/green-cemetery.html  ? It was interesting to hear in one television documentary - it might have been Who’s Been Sleeping in My House? - that folk in one region, I think it was in Bowral, New South Wales, were once condemned to be buried vertically as an eternal punishment, so that they might not ever be able to rest, even in death. …. MMM! How else might the "back to life" skils be exercised? Well, I suppose he might be ‘green’ in one area? It is a shame that it is at the dead end rather than the living World Heritage.

For details on Springbrook see www.springbrookrescue.org.au