catastrophic loss of Hughenden’s Grand Hotel via arson during its vacant period) [1.4.4, 1.4.5].
Good afternoon, DES, MP Adam Baillie and Mayor Nick Dametto,
Please refer to the attached report and details for this location and note the Heritage Act Compliance Risks.
I would like to bring this to the attention of you all, report this issue formally with DES and request that the Statutory Recommendations in the report are actioned, to protect this core element of Townsville’s historic central townscape.
I would please request that the DES (Department of Environment and Science) review the site’s protective barrier integrity and order immediate structural weathering repairs and prepare a Heritage Protection Order which covers all required aspects from the DES.
I would also kindly ask that the Townsville City Council enact Compulsory Mediation and spearhead formal tripartite mediation between ownership and insurance stakeholders to break the 11-year reconstruction deadlock [1.4.4] and review Commercial Activation Granting to align with Townsville’s CBD Modernizing Buildings Grants (similar to the successful Westpac boutique hotel conversion nearby) to fund façade protection [1.3.3]. Many privately owned buildings throughout the city are falling into disrepair, however I feel this location is one of the worst. Given it’s heritage and place in many local’s memories, it deserves the attention from our Council.
Finally, I would ask that State Member assist and oversee the requirements between DES and TCC.
Description of heritage values being affected.
Leaving a registered place in severe disrepair creates friction with the Queensland Heritage Act 1992.
Property owners bear explicit statutory obligations:
- Essential Maintenance:Section 81 and related local provisions enforce that state-listed sites cannot simply
be left to weather or deteriorate through deliberate or passive neglect.
- Passive Decay Risk:Moisture penetration, pest infiltration, and structural rotting of original joists represent
severe threats during continuous closure.
Description of issue or incident
- Heritage Protection Order: Request DES (Department of Environment and Science) to review the site’s
protective barrier integrity and order immediate structural weathering repairs.
- Compulsory Mediation: Engage the Townsville City Council to spearhead formal tripartite mediation
between ownership and insurance stakeholders to break the 11-year reconstruction deadlock [1.4.4].
- Commercial Activation Granting: Align with Townsville’s CBD Modernizing Buildings Grants (similar to
the successful Westpac boutique hotel conversion nearby) to fund façade protection [1.3.3].
“Shane Allison, son-in-law of owner and longstanding North Queensland business figure Adrian Gabrielli, said “everyone is devastated”.
Pull the other one, Shane, it yodels. What utter two-faced balderdash. A building is left empty for a decade to rot, with no maintenance and no effective safeguards against this inevitable outcome, and you want us to believe no one could see this coming? If fact, no one perhaps had the slightest twinkle of hope that it actually might happen? And the horror of now being left with what …. oh, yes, one of the prime sites in the entire city , with a three street frontage, that is now ripe for redevelopment. And you are suddenly devastated?
Mate, all the crocodiles in the nearby Ross Creek couldn’t cry bigger tears than that.
Just say a quiet novena of thanks that no one was killed or seriously injured, or you’d suddenly have a real reason to be devastated.
A small request to all the above parties involved in this egregious dereliction of duty: you’ve damaged the community enough, don’t add insult to injury by treating us like mugs. Penalties may yet be forthcoming. And although it’s a remote possibility, perhaps some apologies, too.
The End Of The Road?
Questions surrounding the rehabilitated Radical Bay road have been swirling around in Nest comments throughout the week. Charlie McColl, the voice of a small minority of islanders not happy with the road to start with, is now claiming the last crucial 100m of the road, ending at the beachfront, is built on private land, owned by the developer Juniper. This he says will deny safe public access to the beach. If he is correct about this, the real question is did the Crisafulli government do a covert deal with the developer, who all along has point blank refused to pay or contribute to the road remediation. If so, what was it?
All that will be revealed soon enough, but with the imminent re-opening of the road, The Magpie thought it best to ask local member Adam Baillie if any of the Radical Bay roadway had been built on private land.
Now while there is plenty of semantic room in that statement about access, The ‘Pie doesn’t think Mr Baillie is rash enough to play word games on the issue of public funds being used for the enhancement of private property. So on that basis, it appears that the new road will be available for public access right to the beach .
Just for the record, The ‘Pie does not consider Charlie McColl a ‘troll’ , he appears to be more of a zealot who has done some painstaking research into the background of this and other island issues to reach what are mostly regarded by the majority as wrong-headed views. He, rightly or wrongly, sincerely believes in his … ummm … often ‘unique’ conclusions, which may make him a PITA (pain in etc) but that does not make him a troll wanting to be provocative or offensive just for the sake of it. At least he appears to care.
Question For Iditor Poulson: Don’t Your People Talk To Each Other?
it’s generally accepted that the Bulletin’s GM and advertising boss Suzy Wilson. frowns on news journalists asking off-script questions that might annoy potential advertisers, and has directed editor Poulson accordingly. Sometimes this becomes embarrassingly obvious, especially since the paper did away with the collective memory of the subs desk, and the kiddies look after themselves as best they can.
So for starters, this from a week or so ago.
The vague but self-congratulatory writing style is pure media release, and The ‘Pie would be surprised if reporter Nikita McGuire even left her desk to transcribe this highly questionable fairy floss. Nikky, if you actually are the author, you’re probably the very first journo to use the phrases ‘picturesque Strand foreshore‘ and ‘keen buyers’. And you let your inner poet run wild when you purportedly wrote:’ the complex draws on North Queensland coastal elements with warm neutrals, timber, natural stone, and bespoke finishes’. Which almost prompts the ‘Pie to regurgitate some warm neutrals for his own bespoke finish. But you never got around to asking a vital question: what is the cost of this project? All we are told is that it is a ‘multi-million dollar luxury project’ . Well, duh.
But why is this detail important? Those with a good memory, which obviously sidelines anyone at the Bulletin, will see why if we take a closer look at that pic.
Hmmm, that bloke on the left, the ‘developer’ Shaun McCarthy is vaguely familiar, now where have we heard that name before? Ah, yes, here …
And here …
So let’s see now, Home Hill’s favourite son, Shaun McCarthy, has put himself in the cross hairs of $550million loan (he’s really got relatively bugger all himself) , with which he will buy a triangle of adjacent land from the Cluden Turf Club, raise it a few metres across the whole site to flood proof it, and then build a hotel of a couple hundred rooms, a water park, beach club and shopping mall … all due to be started, according to Lighton’s unquestionable word, around about … umm … well, now, sorta. Anything happening out there, fellas?
So already in the can for more than $500m for that damp venture, our brave little speculator McCarthy is going to build a ‘multi-million dollar luxury’ high rise on the Strand. Really,? No shit, mate?
But wait, The ‘Pie is being a bit harsh, the bloke on the right in the pic is one Martin McDonough, the selling agent for the project. Although he doesn’t get a direct guernsey in the story, as the selling agent on a tasty commission, he tells us with a straight face that ‘keen buyers have already secured the beachfront penthouse ($3.7m) as well as oceanfront flats on levels seven, eight and nine’. All starting from a rather precise $2.63m.
It just so happens that The ‘Pie was a close observer on the sidelines of a North Ward deal two or three years ago that set up Mr McDonough in his own agency. On those observations, The ‘Pie thinks it fair to say that the personable Mr McDonough has set a new benchmark in the highly competitive field of realtor lying. But his is a sort of optimistic fibbing, more enthusiastic wishful thinking than outright mendacity. However, anyone interested in buying off the plans for this project would be well advised to see the official paperwork of those presumably non-returnable deposits of those keen buyers who, Marty tells us, he has already signed up.
Any question in there , Jill? Nikita? Lighton?
My Kingdom For A Comma
If you want a real hero hypocrite in all this Pickering and his past matter, who you really want is this two-faced paedophile, One Notion’s chief of staff James Ashby, once well known in certain Townsville (read Sovereign Hotel) circles. How he could spout these sanctimonious bromides with nary a guilty twitch is the mark of a true degenerate.
“He (Pickering) is quite aware of the importance of owning the past and — equally as important — providing hope for those who might be in a similar set of circumstances,” Mr Ashby said.
“His story is not unique. If anything, it demonstrates how someone young and determined can get their life back on track.”
There was more than a slight autobiographical tinge to those weasel words, because Ashby’s own trajectory to his current bad tempered prominence weathered the revelations that he was a paedophile, who had been in two relationships with a sequence of two 15 year old boys while he was working in radio in Townsville. This all came to light when he used his sexuality to make a political attack on the then House speaker Peter Slipper. Ashby was in his mid-twenties at the time of his paedolphilia activities (2003).One of the 15 year olds from the now ended sexual relationships detailed Ashby’s criminality in an email to Slipper when that scandal blew up in 2012. It was all reported in this story from the ABC.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-07-30/730-james-ashby/4164568
All this was no news to The Magpie, who had got wind of the story as the Canberra drama unfolded, and spoke to a family member related to one of the boys, who would only say they confirmed the basic facts of one of those relationships, but did not want to talk about it. In fact, although both sets of parents were distressed by the situation at the time, neither they or either of the two boys (now adults) would cooperate with the police investigation, wanting to move on from a now distant past. No complaint was made.
And that is the sole reason that police were unable to lay charges. There is no evidence that any inducements were involved in the ending of this matter, but knowing Ashby’s lack of morality linked to his oft-displayed violent temper, it is reasonable to contemplate offers were made. And is surely no coincidence that the email revealing all this to Peter Slipper waa the reason Ashby quietly dropped his spurious, politically motivated court action against Slipper son afterwards.
So how about a bit of your own high-flown hypocrisy, Jimmy boy, and own some of your own past. Pauline professed fondness for you must be because you smell of fish.
Branch Stacking For Fun And Profit – Labor’s Change To Party Membership Rules
Troy Thompson will be interested to read this.
There’s been an alarming rules change by the Queensland Labor Party that will have ramifications well beyond party lines. It also sparked a truly vicious factional brawl.
At the annual conference in Brisbane earlier this month, the Left forced through the highly controversial change to the membership rules.
Previously, you could be a ALP member but not have voting rights in plebiscites etc. To gain voting rights you had to attend a branch meeting and be registered to a branch for six months, before being able to vote or run in a plebiscite to become a candidate in elections. Hmmm, wait a sec … sometimes this six month rule regarding becoming a candidate apparently can be overruled – hello Aaron Harper. However, generally, the rule was applied.
But no longer.
| The Magpie email hidden; JavaScript is required 2406:2d40:6a31:4c08:d9bb:40cb:166b:1e10 |
Submitted on 2026/09/07 at 6:33 pm
Crikey, those AUKUS subs really must be duds for navigation, according to Get-Up.
‘The Pentagon says the plan is to “accelerate force posture initiatives at Australian bases”. In plain English: more American troops, more American weapons, and more American submarines on Australian soil. Another thousand extra US Navy personnel are due to arrive next year, with more to come.” All climbing out of the conning tower onto Pitt Street, maybe? |
But Trump did not make his offer to any particular voter or set of voters. And he was acting as a public figure. The president’s promise was directed to all voters, not just to those who vote Republican.
Given the history of American voters in the past ten years, it would be a brave commentator to say this utter nonsense will help finally sink this demented cancer on humankind, but gullible is as gullible does. The penmen of America were fairly unanimous in their verdict.
Totally agree with everything you said about the Great Northern Hotel fire. But what’s next? Some
are saying the Cri is next. But talking about ‘benign neglect’ the Queens Hotel comes to mind, so all parties involved in that project might pay to pull their collective fingers out.
Queens hotel/customs house is currently for sale and will be well maintained if it goes through.
Those are two seperate entities, aren’t they? With different owners. The Customs House is in spick and span condition, but comes with a hell of lot of development restrictions, as it should.
TSV Local, As the Pie says , those two properties are different owners. The Gleeson Trust sold of the parcel of land which includes the Queens to a southern entity. Not sure if the ‘Hive’ project is still a goer, so every property on that site will suffer ‘Benign Neglect’
Great blog Pie – one of your very best.
But suggesting Greaney had anything to do with the neglect of the Great Northern Hotel was a bit harsh.
Think of all the great projects she has overseen in Division 3, like the $6 million boardwalk from nowhere to nowhere, the empty, one-way Palmer Street alfresco restaurant precinct, the $4 million tin sheds on Castle Hill…..
Her record speaks for itself.
Ah the old bullshit line from the real estate bloke looking to sell off the plan ‘luxury apartments’ on the Strand. A bit of probing by journos will probably find that there’s zero units actually sold however the ‘developer’ has earmarked the Penthouse for himself and has family members/mates earmark levels seven, eight and nine for themselves. Not unconditional contracts, just expressions of interest !
Inquiring buyers are then urged to jump in quickly before an over excited public ‘snap up’ the remaining units with the original pre sold ones quietly finding their way back onto the market and now available for sale !
Developers are usually required to have a generous percentage of fully signed off, full deposit contracts in hand before a financier will forward any construction funds so this one might be fun to watch.
This ‘off the plans’ fantasy is nothing new, Jatz. There was a spectacular example four years ago involving the Magnetic Views debacle at Pallarenda when property spruikster Giovanni Spinella, acting on behalf of Gold Coast white shoer Mark Tonge, claimed in a media release printed in a Bulletin ‘story’ :“An exclusive $13m land release overlooking Cape Pallarenda and Cleveland Bay has set price records for vacant residential lots in Townsville.
Magnetic Views Estate is a gated community developed on the hillside adjoining the Cape
Pallarenda Conservation Park with fabulous views out to the islands and south to Townsville
and Castle Hill.
Only five lots remain for sale after buyers snapped up eight lots in a record-breaking run of
sales totalling $7.45m.Residential lots within the development, which is being undertaken by Centurion Global, are
priced from $850,000 to $1.1m.
So far sales have averaged $930,000 per lot.”
Describing this snake infested armpit of rocky land as ‘hillside’ is stretching even the elastic imagination of a real estate waffler. This turned out to be, as you say, expressions of interest which generally don’t involve money, and mercifully, Mr Tonge shortly thereafter buggered off back to the Gold Coast, leaving just the snakes, rock wallabies and Mr Spinella to enjoy what are still undisturbed ‘Magnetic Views’.
Our paper has never mentioned this … wonder why. Maybe because of this embarrassment.
https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news/townsville/magnetic-views-estate-achieves-record-sales-totalling-745m/news-story/beaefa1350a8afd584ead8742647c6dd
If it is to cost $500m to build, but the Penthouse only sold for $3.7m, should it be time for a new calculator?
You’ve got that bit a muddled, kit … the waterpark venture, which will never happen, is estimated at $550m, but there is no price tag on the Strand fairytale, this lot wren’t willing to give even a guesstimate for fear of scaring of bankers and punters alike.
How dare you suggest that our glorious council would ignore a “Snap Send Solve Shove-in-a-draw” report into the latest Italian Barbeque. You must know that we only recently took out an award for our excellent work.
Humble apologies, what was The ‘Pie thinking.
Lol
Trump wanting to pay a bribe to adult Americans isn’t surprising. He himself is a master crook and has thrived on payouts and payoffs throughout his business life. Besides, the $1.3 trillion will only be added to the national debt balance sheet, of which America has no interest in paying it off. The orange monster is buying votes and a gullible and desperate voter base will fall for the con job.
Not much different to Albanese importing 300,000 goat rooters into our country each year. Most of these imports will happily vote for Labor at the next election, as a thank you to Albanese. A different con job but with the same intended result – an election win.
Sadness has turned to anger, watching over the years the neglect and the demise of the beautiful GNH.
Heads should roll over this. McCabe is an ineffectual dud, all of TCC should hang their heads in shame, especially Foodtrucks Greaney – people, vote these leaches out, come the next election.
With regards to Charlie McColls claim that State Government works were carried out on the freehold land at Radical Bay. Has he produced any photographic evidence of this? I have yet to see any, and, it has been all over Facebook.
Come on Charlie get your arse down there and take some photos.
For years now you have smirked at anyone who has claimed they are unable to walk down there due to their age or disability.
You might have to little band of followers who believe anything you say – but I am not one of them.
Prove your claims or Shut the fuck up.
Mr McColl has inundated The Magpie with facts, figures, photographs and maps purporting to support his claims, but they are so confused and one suspects tailored to suit his arguments, that The ‘Pie declines to join him down this rabbit hole. Whether he’s right or wrong will be found out in time, but right now, will prove nothing … he certainly seems to want people like The Magpie to be vehicles for his rage.
The ‘Pie respectfully declines. Charlie got a fair run here, but we’ll now let things unfold by thenselves.
Hold your horses, Whinge Alot. The Magpie has the recent photos and maps. It is his prerogative to share or not share any of that with Nesters. But you can look some of them up yourself at https://www.minca.org/radical-bay-270623.html
You could also ask yourself this question: Why has Adam Baillie made no provision for parking at the end of the renovated track at Radical Bay? There is a gazetted space for a car park. In fact there is a gazetted but unbuilt 7m-wide Road Reserve right through to the beachfront Esplanade. Ask yourself why these legal public access parks and pathways have been completely bypassed by the roadworks such that Radical Bay Road now runs straight through the front gate of Juniper’s property and well inside – as demonstrated by Mr Baillie’s Facebook home video?
Charlie
There is nothing new on that Minca link just the same theories you and your little band of followers have been peddling for years.
What is the problem can’t you hobble down Radical Bay anymore? Surely one of your mates has a key to the locked gate.
So you want the rest of us to believe road works have been done to the freehold property by state government, by Baillie’s video.
Not good enough that video doesn’t show that, it shows a drive way on the property not a road.
Go on walk down there and take some recent photos.
Remembering Juniper does have a caretaker for the property.
It won’t be the last time the Astonisher is caught pants down printing realtor lies. Mind you, a hefty sales commission is now in order for their realtor written article on the jewel in the crown Bluewater Airport.
Had a beak around for that story, Justin, can’t find anything newer than a year ago. Got a link? Or just point vThe ‘Pie to where he can find nit.
Justin, sniffed around and found a crumb. It’s under contract and about to settle. The Astonisher is likely waiting in the wings with a front page announcement when the new owner lands.
Ashby is not the first Chief of Staff to have a checkered past.
A long time ago, a young ALP staffer by the name of David Barbagallo was coming through the ranks with a few close mates, one who later became the Australian Treasurer and one became the Prime Minister for a short while. David’s problem was he had an involvement with his brother who was selling foxtail palm seeds and at least one stage he visited the area in a Govt. car. One thing led to another, and David was cleared of any wrongdoing, but quietly booted from the inner sanctums of the ALP.
Years later, he became the CEO of Endeavour Foundation, and since his good mate Swanny was treasurer and his other mate was PM, they established the start of the NDIS.
That must have put him back in the good books, because in 2017 he became the premiers Chief of Staff until he once again became embroiled with Govt. funding to a company, he was part owner of.
Dear ‘Pie,
You mentioned that you did not get an invite to the, ultimately disturbed, naked fun run on ths Strand recently.
Well, I didn’t either.
With the greatest of respect, perhaps this link will explain our omitions. Hope the link works.
https://youtu.be/OOgd9hitEAE?si=uPNPLJv1j32odJz2
Regards,
A.
Had my annual dance with the Bulletin subscription keepers. They sent me a text saying that from next month they want $24 p/m – up from $16. I contacted them and they offered $21, I said that if you want to charge anymore than you currently do, you can cancel it effective immediately.
they renewed at $16 pm .> same as they did last year! assholes.
I believe that at $16 it is still too expensive. They print a paper that’s filled with advertisements, contains old or out of date news articles, and it is filled with a litany of grammatical errors. Save your money and buy a few extra coffees every week.
As always, good blog this week Mal. You’ve really hit your groove since returning from your ‘long service leave’. But FFS mate, this obsession by Maggie Island residents over 100m of Radical Bay Road is insanity! It’s become as boring and tedious as a Lighton Smith news article! Please, no more. Surely the Maggie Island folk can do something different like knit a woollen blanket, grow some pumpkins, maybe even count the amount of rock wall wallabies? Please, anything except the obsession about radical bay road. Yawn.
Your missing a major point in there, Mopsy. There is the vague possibility that public money on the road has been surreptitiously used to enhance the value and the prospects of a subsequent Juniper development. On the face of that, if true, is fine, nothing wrong with that, except for one thing. The secrecy. Lack of transparency is often a shield for things politicians want obscured because they have no backbone to defend positive but controversial decisions in public.
The ‘Pie has given McColl’s mostly foaming zealotry a good run on the basis that even a stopped clock is right twice a day. But Charlie has now been advised by The ‘Pie to lay off for the time being (his’proof’ doesn’t come up to standard, and his arrogant insistence that others like The ‘Pie do his spadework is indeed now becoming tedious), until the road is opened and the true state of affairs is out in public.
Fair point mate. It’s interesting how people want you to do the leg work, but it isn’t surprising because you are one of the few investigative journalists left in this fucking town. Everybody else just glosses over the issues or simply couldn’t be bothered to dig deep. Continue with your good work sir.
The ‘Pie is blushing – which is bloody difficult when you’re black and white.
But in fairness, The ‘Pie’s investigative skills are nothing to write home about (when nyou can’t talk on the theephone, there is an extra challenge) , it is just that he gets the benefit of a network of well-connected readers who are willing to TRUST him for confidentiality and to responsibly handle often sensitive information. Especially the sort that falls on deaf ears elsewhere. The old bird just makes his best call on anything newsworthy he receives, and probes as far as he can before whacking it into the Nest.
Time to hand over to Leighton at the Bulletin. At the very least he will extract a vacuous press statement.
Hey Magpie, how did you get your hands on that confidential report from the council about the Great Northern Hotel?
It can’t be found anywhere else and has flags for AI generated content.
Maybe you have been stitched up?
The ‘Pie knows precisely where the report came from, and so does the Mayor, Adam Baillie and the relevant government department. And why do you describe it as a ‘confidential report’? And what panicked flinching is that nonsense of ‘flags for AI generated content'; a clear inference that the information (we used call it ‘facts’) is somehow suspect? AI is involved in ALL information retrieval nowadays, only an a-grade twat would think otherwise.
The ‘Pie guesses he has hit a big bullseye with this one, and you have been instructed to throw shade and decoy flares to deflect and protect your boss from heat-seeking red-hot Magpie missile. The old bird thinks it reasonable to believe, in fact, is pretty certain, your are in the employ of either TCC CEO Joe McCabe, Mayor Nick Dametto or MP Adam Baillie.
Or just as likely, Jill Poulson …. is that you, Lighton? Bit miffed, are we? Your eyes watering from getting the iditor’s dainty knock-off Manolo Blahnik’s up your coit yet again not being trusted enough to get such info? Thoughts and prayers, anyway, mate.
Brilliant reply to ‘Questions’. The Magpie in full flight. Love it!
Question for Questions – So what details are incorrect ?
Have heard the Cowboys 2026 season celebration is on this week.
Considering the function would have had to be organised weeks if not months in advance did the club expect the cowboys to be knocked out of the finals last weekend?
What would have happened if they actually beat the Sharks?
Take your point but not sure it adds up. Footy club celebrations are rarely up in strata of places that need bookings months ahead … besides, either, accomodation would be made in Townsville for the ‘Boys who still did us proud overall in the season.
Of course, given the track record of this NRK post-season tradition, it might be better if the ‘celebrations’ were a long way from Townsville. A long, long way.
Gold Coast shonk Tom Taint verbally abused an ABC reporter. Funny stuff. Ol Tom was mighty touchy. I’m amazed he has lasted as long as he has to be honest. I wonder how he would react if Lighton Smith interviewed him? Then again, Lighton isn’t really a reporter in the true sense of the word.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-15/gold-coast-mayor-tom-tate-mar-a-lago-dinner-donald-trump/107155370
The ABC reporter asked a question. Lighton, and the rest of the Astonisher sternographers don’t ask questions.
Unfair (seriously). There actually are some pretty good reporters emerging there, but their work is sometimes marred by policy dictated by the paper’s advertising boss standing over the editor.
I see Mayor Dametto has been reading the magpie blog.
His long winded, bumbling statement in today’s Astonisher, claiming that council had taken action against the Great Northern Hotel owners, is about as credible as Donald Trump claims of being a highly stable genius.
It’s called damage control.
He joins iditor Jill Poulson and Lighton Smith as regular and much cherished Nest readers, both desperately playing catch-up.
That said The ‘pie also has to ask who is the author of the excellent and out-of-character editorial in today’s Bulletin. The clear writing style, the well analysed conclusions and recommendations, and mildly confrontational tone towards hitherto protected species is in stark contrast to Jill’s usual mimsy fence-sitting.
The Magpie is now waiting for TEL to take credit for the fire … Christ, they claim everything else, why not this?
Perhaps they were about to announce a state funded pub crawl to the Great Northern, Brophy tent out the back so Dametto and young Luke can go round 2…
The proposed Hidden Valley Wind Farm is right next door to the Mt. Zero/Taravale Nature Refuge. 24 years of conservation up in smoke for a puff of green energy. https://www.australianwildlife.org/sanctuaries/mount-zero-taravale-wildlife-sanctuary?srsltid=AU7gw4UPK1-nl_5RdOA8qRDhvd_eTHLJOHSNLdfsPSx6W5VMOyXw2FEB
Where does anyone say the fenced reserve is threatened? Had a look, couldn’t find anything.
Whilst this windfarm will not be built on Mt. Zero property, it will produce noise and vibrations that are harmful to human and wildlife health. I know that sounds sceptical, but there is research out from Sweeden suggesting there is problems with wind turbines. The effect on the fauna has not been evaluated properly.
https://www.uu.se/en/department/information-technology/news/archive/2025-11-27-it-department-in-the-media-the-issue-of-wind-turbine-noise-raised-in-the-eu—swedish-research-shows-that-infrasound-travels-further-than-previously-thought
That link does not suggest there is a problem … just that infrasound (generally sound below 20dcb) travels further than first expected. Anyway, The Nest, despite its name, is not the forum for Green harem scareum blather about the possibility of harm from an unproven source.
This research is showing these larger wind turbines have infrasound travelling further than previously thought. The sound waves spread widely allowing them to pass through many things whereas other noise doesn’t.
Lots of animals use infrasound to communicate over miles which includes Koalas who the male produces mating calls unheard by humans. Wind turbines will effectively silence the koalas and others.
Storms can produce similar infrasound, the reason our dog goes into meltdown a long time before there is any sign of a storm.
Before a cyclone, the birds and animals go quiet. They are picking up the infrasound that humans cannot hear.
The Mt. Fox windfarm is a good example where the farmers grazing land won’t be affected. All work will be clearing the top of hills that are heavily forested.
Of further concern is the end of life these international companies are not required to rehabilitate the area or even have a plan for that. They just leave and the property owner has to foot the bill and we all know that wont happen.
Renewables in remote areas affect everyone with the price of electricity. We all get stung with an increase in network charges to look after the new infrastructure – forever. The main reason everyone’s bill keeps going up.
You say: ‘Of further concern is the end of life these international companies are not required to rehabilitate the area or even have a plan for that.‘
Well, isn’t this a classic stand-off… but for now, The ‘Pie is going with this AI overview. And you, Blue Bells, remain on The ‘Pie’s possible deliberate misinformation list. Which means everything else you’ve said so far is suspect.
Yes, wind farm owners are legally and contractually responsible for Decommissioning and returning the land to its previous state or an agreed-upon use when operations end.
Key Remediation Obligations:
Removal of Infrastructure: Owners must dismantle and remove above-ground equipment, including the wind turbines, towers, and site offices.
Foundation Removal: Concrete foundations are typically broken down and removed to a depth of at least 0.5 meters underground so normal farming can resume on top.Revegetation: Access tracks, pads, and disturbed soil are covered with topsoil, smoothed over, and revegetated unless the landowner asks to keep certain roads for farm use.
Planning Approvals: Local and state planning permits usually require a detailed Decommissioning Plan before construction even begins.
How it is handled and funded.
Commercial Leases: Private contracts and landholder agreements legally bind the wind farm company to clear the site and pay lease fees until removal is complete.
Financial Assurances: Many projects use bonds, guarantees, or set-aside funds to ensure money is available for clean-up, though requirements vary by region.
Well the project has the support of Chris ‘blackout’ Bowen so it must be a good thing.
Of interest, I know two local fishermen who have fished the same spots for the last 50 years. They astutely observed that in their fishing areas the sea level has not risen so much as 1 centimetre throughout their fishing lives. Fuckwits like Bowen and Greta Thunberg are a scourge and a pox on our society.
Hahahaha …“They astutely observed that in their fishing areas the sea level has not risen so much as 1 centimetre throughout their fishing live.” So a couple of crotchety old fishermen … a class well known for their honesty in measurements… have been able to measure sea levels to the centimetre? Over 50 years, no less?
On the basis that you’ve just made that up – not even a clever example of misinformation – you have most certainly chosen a very apt name for yourself.
Scientifically, I don’t think Bell—end’s mates were fishing from the shore. They would have been in a tinnie and would have reliably measured the depth by how much line was out.
Yup, as you say ‘scientifically’ …. but imagine ethe frustration over the years for these poor blokes, having to scrub all data when waves got over one centimetre. Thoughts and prayers.
Mayor Nick Spaghetto has formally received his fine for public mischief. It has been reported online. Nothing new really, we knew he was going to receive that fine. I wonder if he is still seeking a media apology for reporting on the incident?
More to the point, will he pay it or contest it, as he has hinted he will do?
Just what we need, really, another mayor fighting the law.
The Mayor is an idiot for getting into a fracus in the first place. We have a history of this crap occurring in Townsville. He is such a proud and arrogant little man, living under the protective wing of David Crisafulli.
Dametto’s behaviour, and that of previous Mayors, Councillors and CEO’s, makes us look like idiots from the boondocks. It never ends.
Labor’s Veterans $5000 cap backdown – it’s scrapped.
Well done, Phil Thompson. The ABC was so pleased with your efforts, on Thursday night’s news, they bumped you upstairs.
Coming to a country near you.
https://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/world-economy/global-protests-erupt-as-energy-crisis-bites-billions-after-200-days-of-iran-war/news-story/73d13fe0adc23f76252dba1c2fa79fe0?amp
Civil unrest is growing. People can only endure so much, and then the walls start to crumble. Tick tock….
Meanwhile, coming to a country fortunately quite a long way away, the ABC reports:
“The Trump administration has greenlit a $2.8 billion arms sale to Israel that includes tens of thousands of controversial one-ton bombs, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
The package contains 20,000 MK-84 and 20,000 BLU-117 bombs, which are both powerful, general-purpose heavy munitions, along with other explosives, the sources said. The bombs, which have a wide blast zone, are controversial because of a high risk to civilians when they are deployed in heavily populated areas.”
Not sure how many one ton bombs it took to level Gaza and the southern portion of Lebanon but it sure doesn’t look good for the future of the occupied West Bank.
“Controversial”? Israel, Russia and American itself have all amply demonstrated that a ‘high risk to civilians’ is not a consideration, except to wheel out increasingly thin ‘collateral damage’ justifications and ‘we’re looking into it’ statements. It must said in Russia’s case, Putin doesn’t even bother with that, he’s happy to bomb the shit out of anything and anybody who gets in his way … and boy, haven’t the Ukrainians been inspirational in getting in his way.
On GN pie.
Well said much more eloquent than I could muster.
I am still livid about it.
Just my 2c worth. One for all the people trying to get tour groups into the city. We already don’t have a lot to offer unless you want the joy of having your car ending up a smoking wreck on the edges of town or being hassled for a dollar. Maybe retaining some of these old buildings among the new might be a plus. Even if façade is converged into a mores usable model.
Now lets see if Adrian stumps up and does the right thing. I won’t hold my breath though.