Not Properly Made Submission (late, object) Terence Murphy MCU12/0012

Subject: MCU12/0012 Protect Woondum National Park
From: Terry Murphy
Date: 2012-09-18T01:46:49+00:00
To: Internet Mailbox Sunshine Coast Regional Council

Dear Mr Lewis

MCU12/0012 Noosa Quad Bike Tours

I am very unhappy at the prospect of over 8000 quad bikes annually
entering a National Park on the Sunshine Coast under the guise of
environmental tours to see flora and fauna. It is transparently
obvious that the business owner has no interest in the local fauna,
otherwise he would realise that the noise of his quad bikes would
impact so greatly on the habitat of the wildlife in the park that the
fauna would leave the locality.
 I am also very concerned about the impact of noise on local residents
who moved to the area for a peaceful lifestyle. Also the impact it
would have on other users of the park, bush walkers, families, bird
watchers, cyclists and horse riders. Young children would be unsafe
around a group of quad bikes in the small car parking area of The Rock
Pools. Horse riding accidents are highly likely to happen where the
horse trails and quad bike routes converge for quite some distance.
 I am highly concerned about the quad bikes sharing a public road with
cars and trucks, when the quad bike drivers are likely to be
inexperienced at driving their vehicles and the road has very steep
sides and many bends. I am concerned for the safety of the quad bike
drivers.
 I am also concerned about the added traffic the business would bring
to the area. The unsurfaced road is graded once annually and due to
heavy rain fall in the area is very susceptible to erosion. There is
clear evidence of this on the next road up from Woondum Drive along
Tablelands Road, where the tour is planned, which was eroded by a
combination 4WD’s and weather, and is now impassable. A business like
this will encourage more vehicles to damage the roads and increase
litter and accidents.
 I am also concerned about the suggestion of a courtesy bus to collect
participants from the Cooran Rec club. This car park is used for local
residents with young children, who will not appreciate the danger of
added traffic and loss of parking spaces.
 With this number of concerns it is reasonable that local rate payers
would expect council to represent them by being thorough about
ensuring that all these areas of concern are adequately addressed. If
safety is unobtainable with Quad bikes which after all have resulted
in more deaths on Australian and NZ farms each year than any other
cause, then we would suggest the applicant considers a mountain bike
tours business than wont impact on the locals, wildlife or the park.

Your sincerely

Terence M Murphy

64 Arthy's Rd
Cooran
QLD 4569