Yes, employment, the catch cry of the noisy minority (48 members according to the Supporters of the Kin Kin Quarry Facebook page) who seem to believe Ray Neilsen’s initial assurances that around 20 jobs would result from the quarry operation. In his testimony in court Mr. Neilsen amended that statement to say ‘eventually’ there might be 12 jobs. Contrast that with the 60 currently employed by Living Valley Springs Health Retreat, which adjoins the quarry and will be severely threatened by its hugely invasive presence – you do the math. Who wants to stay at a health retreat with huge, rattling trucks rolling past every 5 minutes, six days a week, from 7 am to 6 pm with the accompanying diesel fumes, clouds of dust and gravel, noise and vibration from blasting… you get the picture. Not particularly peaceful or reinvigorating.

The fact is that any short term gains (see above beneficiaries) will be vastly outweighed by the economic loss to the ecotourism industry of one of the most beautiful tracks on the Noosa Trail Network. This project was undertaken by the former Noosa Council and greatly praised and publicised by the SC Council, tourism bodies, the equestrian fraternity and tourists who see the hinterland as an integral part of the Noosa package.

The trail currently features a gate ordering trail users to keep out. The quarry is not required to notify potential trail users of blasts, except for a notice which now says they can happen at any time, 6 days per week, between 7 am and 6 pm. Former trail users unaware of the quarry owners’ takeover of the trail will be greeted by the above, in spite of the fact that the trails are still advertised on Council’s website as viable.

Also greatly at risk are the dozens of small businesses which have been established to service the growing natural health industry, which relies on the clean, green surrounds of the beautiful hinterland. Again, the quarry will add to unemployment as the resourceful locals who took these initiatives are driven out of business.

Shame, Sunshine Coast Council, shame DERM and the other State Government authorities who are not even holding the quarry owners properly accountable for numerous breaches. Shame for the Noosa River, which will inherit the 34% of the headwaters which originate in Kin Kin and which have already been contaminated with silt and clay through sloppy operation of the mega quarry.

We have been betrayed on so many levels, as has our glorious environment. Disgraceful beyond belief.

Robyn Jones
Kin Kin

The subject of how the public perceives scientific evidence and the confusion over the need for apparent balance is very interesting, and I plan to continue writing on the topic.

I was recently interviewed for a segment on CSIRO’s Energymark project on Channel 7′s Today Tonight program and, although they spent two hours with me and I said a lot about the environmental benefits of energy efficiencies and using renewables instead of fossil fuels, the broadcast content focused on the money that could be saved! Check it out: http://au.todaytonight.yahoo.com/article/9261030/money/csiro-power

It appears that ‘dumbing down” the message to stimulate the “hip pocket nerve” is the only way to elicit the response we want form many Australians. Sad but true.

Boorabee (sp?) is a local word meaning koala…from boorabee came its shortened adaptation – Bribie.

There is a book out there somewhere with a title something like….’Boorabee, Bribie Island’s koala legacy’?