Proposal · MCU12/0012

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from these quad bikes as these have four wheels which are of a small circumference and have to spin
twice revolutions as a car tyre to cover the same distance. Can he guarantee that this property won’t
become a dust bowl like many quad riding areas.

3. Mary River Catchment

Stated in the application the applicant claims their will be no negative impact on the catchment area.
What studies has the applicant provided to validate his claims.

4. Transport and Vehicle traffic

Both bus and train times tables for Cooran don’t correspond with the applicant time table for his tours
and therefore we believe public transport will be a last resort and problematic. Courtesy buses seem like
a good idea but as other business in this area have found them not feasible due to the high cost and
small demand, and people will always revert back to using private transport causing typical traffic issues
when business are operated from the home environment.

5. Driveway and Parking

The applicants have not mentioned how steep the driveway access is. Upon inspection one will find that
it is of a grade that would require sealing to prevent erosion and ensure driver and vehicle safety when
entering and exiting the property. I believe a hired toilet will be used on the property which will mean a
effluent disposal truck will also need to be using this steep gravel driveway a least once a week for the
entire term of the hire.

6. Noise Impact

The applicant mentions these quad bikes are the latest technology and designed to be as quite as
possible. The applicant has stated that these quad bikes will only produce 30dBA at 1500 reves. I
challenge that this is completely false; these bikes do not comply with Australian Design Rules
Regulations including noise and emissions. How can the applicant substantiate these claims when he has
failed to mention the make, model and the size of the quads? Farm quads produce 85 to 115 decibels
measured at 5 meters from the exhaust. I am confident in my claims to noise produced from these
machines as I have over 30 years of mechanical experience in the motorcycle industry.

 He also states maximum speed of 30 kph. The permit obtained say’s 40kph. Which one is it? Mechanical
throttle controls are not accurate in maintaining as set speed and can also be tampered with at any time
with the aid of a screwdriver. He also states that the proposed tour route is frequented by trail bikes
that are far noisier. This too is a fallacy. In over ten years of frequenting the park and living adjacent to
the trail network the few trail bikes that I have seen over the years have carried full registration and
therefore comply with current vehicle design and safety standards including noise and emissions. These
quad bikes do not comply with any known Australian standard. I am therefore requesting that in the
consideration of this application, council should enforce mandatory six monthly vehicle safety checks, by
suitably qualified Technicians.

I also find it hard to comprehend how the applicant can assess the riding skill of a client in 10 minutes,
when the Queensland Government is currently running a campaign on farm quad safety as injuries and
accidents continue to rise at an alarming rate. The applicant has not mentioned if these quad bikes will

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be fitted with a Roll Over Protection Bar or a Dead Man Kill Switch as is the requirement in many other
countries. He say’s his staff will attend a manufactures riding school. This is good, but demonstrates that
staff have no expertise in quad bike operation and therefore would be unable to competently assess
other riders, increasing the likely hood of claims from potential accidents falling back on to the council
and ultimately costing the rate payer.



7. Waste Management and Pollution

Applicant mentions that all servicing and oil change will take place off the property at a service centre
but has failed to mention what the procedures will be for break down and running repairs. Will these
vehicles be RACQ members? The applicant has also failed to mention what service centre he will be
using. Is this because the applicant has submitted the application with the intent to carry out repairs
himself? How will this monitored? Also there is no mention or description of wash down facilities for
these quad bikes. Will he be transporting the bikes off site to the nearest car wash? These issues have
not been addressed adequately by the applicant.

8. Sewer and Water

The applicant has stated that he will provide an on site portable toilet but has failed to mentioned how
he intends to cater to the needs of the disabled persons. Our research would indicate that chemical
toilets will need to be pumped out on weekly basis thus increasing traffic to this area.

9. Soil Erosion and Stormwater

The applicant has suggested that the proposed Quad bike tours will have no impact with regards to soil
erosion and stormwater run off. Where in this application is there proof of this? The applicant has
provided no documentation regarding soil erosion caused by quad bike activities. Furthermore basic
research on the internet will demonstrate that where quad bike activity is encouraged, illegal uses will
magnetise to an area. The applicant also has stated the quad bikes have the lowest footprint and as such
will create no soil erosion or damage. If this is a valid claim then why have the Department of
Environmental and Resource Management imposed wet weather restrictions on the applicant’s
approval? Who will be responsible for monitoring the rainfall in this area to enforce this requirement?


10. Fire Prevention and Control

The applicant seems to have carried out his own fire risk management assessment. Is Cooran local fire
fighting authority aware of this applicant’s fire management plan? Will the council seek the expertise of
the local fire authority with regards to the steep terrain and escape routes mentioned by the applicant.
The applicant has mentioned that the rainfall in this area is very high and as such the vegetation is rated
low combustible but he has failed to mention that the property is situated in a deep and steep gully. The
applicant has also failed to mention a fire assembly area in his plan.

11. Signage

The applicant has does not have an evacuation assembly area for staff and clients in his plans.

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12. Safety from Crime and Insurance

No provision of a proper risk assessment and management has been outlined for these tours nor
provided in this application for any stage of the tours. For example in case of injuries, accidents,
disputes, collisions, flipping, fatalities, fire, flooding, landslide, contamination...etc

The applicant states that he will be using a Kawasaki Mule side by side off Road vehicle which comes
fitted with a roll over protection safety bar. The quad bikes as stated earlier do not have this bar fitted
increasing the chances of injury or death when an accident occurs. Will council seek to have these bars
fitted while traversing the property or will council simply wait until the strength of the applicants
indemnity is tested in a court of law.

We would ask that council seriously consider the abovementioned facts when taking into account the
merit of this application and the impact upon residents and uses of the Noosa Trail Network and
surrounding areas. We would like council to acknowledge that the applicant has failed to complete the
Material change of use assessable against a planning scheme-IDAS form 5, as the applicant has failed to
answer questions 4 & 5 on this form, therefore this is not a properly made application. We have also
noted that the area the applicant will be using his quads in takes in two council boundaries. The
applicant has failed to mention if he has sought or will seeking approval from the Wide Bay Burnett
Shire.

Yours faithfully




Paul Schofield                           Michelle Schofield