AN IPSWICH tourism operator fears the region will become known as the “toxic rim” if the State Government goes ahead with plans to establish an 800 hectare estate for high impact industries.
Image of Mt Forbes resident and small holding owner Peter Adnams who thinks his property will fall into the proposed Ebenezer industrial development buffer zone rendering it undesirable.
The investigation area, known as Ebenezer South, and a one kilometre buffer zone cover both Ipswich City and Scenic Rim Regional Council land west of the Cunningham Highway, between Goebels and Sugarloaf roads.
The investigation area, known as Ebenezer South, and a one kilometre buffer zone cover both Ipswich City and Scenic Rim Regional Council land west of the Cunningham Highway, between Goebels and Sugarloaf roads.
Hot air balloon tour operator Graeme Day said he was concerned Ipswich and the Scenic Rim’s reputation as a green, scenic region would be poisoned if the proposal went ahead.
“We live here because of the lifestyle – we don’t want chemicals floating in the air,” he said.
“My concern is that this will harm the tourism and wine industries and I believe all the ratepayers need to be aware of what is going on.”
Farmers, wildlife carers and the tourism industry are concerned the State Government is deliberately keeping them in the dark on their plans for the site.
Mayors Paul Pisasale and John Brent said they had been chasing more information from the Department of Infrastructure and Planning.
“Is it the best possible site? Is there going to be an environmental impact study?” Cr Pisasale asked.
“The community feels it has been totally whitewashed and the government’s failure to communicate has created unknowns and fears.”
Also opposed to the proposal, Ipswich City Division 10 councillor David Pahlke described the plan as a “blister” development which had been tacked on to the city’s existing Ebenezer Regional Industrial Area.
Exactly what type of industry could end up at Ebenezer South is unknown, although Member for Lockyer Ian Rickuss said it would include noisy, smelly, high impact industries which could have a detrimental effect on the environment.
“If you get a westerly or a south-westerly wind like you often do in winter, Ipswich and Ripley are going to cop it,” he said.
Mt Forbes resident Peter Adnams said he was concerned not only for his land values, but for the effect on drinking water, crops and beef cattle if the industry was ever allowed to go ahead.
“Everyone out here is on tank water, which is a real concern because you’ve potentially got all this harmful stuff blowing onto our roofs and getting into our drinking water,” he said.
“Our neighbours rely on raising beef cattle, so what their livelihoods are going to be like I have absolutely no idea.”
A spokeswoman for the Department of Infrastructure and Planning said examples of difficult-to-locate industries included the XXXX brewery at Milton, the Amcor Petrie paper mill and the Taubman’s paint factory at Yeronga.
“The term ‘difficult to locate’ indicates that the industry may, for example, need a large flat site to locate a large footprint building and have storage activities that require large areas,” she said.
“There may also be other specific infrastructure requirements, (such as) direct access to a highway or a railway system and freight facility, the use of large quantities of water and high electricity requirements.”
The State Government is also undertaking site suitability investigations at a 700ha site at Wellcamp, west of Toowoomba, which incorporates part of the existing Charlton Wellcamp Industrial Area.
Information on the proposal is available at http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/industrial-land/50-year-land-bank-study-for-high-impact-industry.html
Claims made by state government are that they are identifying new industrial land for large footprint, difficult-to-locate and high impact industries in a sustainable way by:
- not locating industrial zones in environmentally sensitive areas
- considering infrastructure requirements
- separating incompatible land uses
- considering the commercial needs of these types of industries
However since possible locations for such industries include the possible Bromelton State Development Area - 27 kms along the banks of the Logan River, one has to question the definition of an environmentally sensitive area.
Another question to ask is why do we need any toxic industries at all - give our greater understanding of consequences all toxic materials have on the global environment?
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