November 2006
The Spitfighters' Newsletter
Dear SOSA Supporters,
This past month, SOSA is incredibly proud to have helped win a prestigious award for The Spit- see adjacent article. And YOU are a part of it, so thank you also for "refusing to give in" - keep it up!
News is we have also won the surfrider best campaign award. This is a great honour!
Next Event
Christmas Drinks & 2 Year Anniversary Celebration & Awards & Grant Recognition - View Invitation
Where: Southport Surf Lifesaving Club, Executive Meeting Room (upstairs via main entry)
When: Monday 11 December 11th 6:00 to 7:30pm
Latest news is that the Government has not made any announcement as to the future of Marine Stadium or releasing the EIS. Last statement suggests they will issue a renewed expressions of interest process and SOSA continues to urge the Government to focus this marina-based development on the lands south of Nara, rather than Marine Stadium.
What can you do now?
- Make sure you write to the Government & GCCC to remind them "No development north of Sea World Nara"
premier@ministerial.qld.gov.au
deputypremier@ministerial.qld.gov.au
mayor@goldcoast.qld.gov.au - Donate & collect petition signatures
- Make sure all your friends join the subscriber list & have stickers on their cars;
- Turn up to our meetings or events. All help greatly appreciated.
Developer's 'Plan' for Marine Stadium - You CAN Have Your Say!
See one developer's "Gold Coast Community & Marine Master Plan" [self titled] at www.broadwatermasterplan.com to see their proposals for your Marine Stadium and Broadwater.
Go to Menu then FEEDBACK & have your say. Even just the words "NO development North of Seaworld Nara" will do if your time is short. But if not... go for it and do not hold back (nicely)!
"..they paved paradise and put up a parking lot..."
[& a hard stand... & dry storage... & a marina... & retail shops.. & government buildings... etcetera]
Help us prevent the government allowing greedy developers to take Marine Stadium "bums bay" from us!
Marine Stadium Video 3 mb broadband users only
Help: Donations Please!
Quick & easy: help us fund saving the Spit…
Pass this email on
Please Onsend this to your friends & ask them to join our email list It costs nothing, no strings attached and is the quickest, cheapest and best way for us to reach you so you can help Save The Spit.
We will keep you posted! Thank you all as ever.
Best regards,
SOSA Team
AWARDS
Beach Spirit Award Winners - The Spit
On 16 November, Kylie Johnson, CEO of Keep Australia Beautiful Queensland, announced the winners of the outstanding accomplishment awards, which include the BEACH SPIRIT AWARD.
This award recognises coastal communities which are facing or have faced difficult times, but which show outstanding commitment to solving problems by turning them into opportunities. Judges look firstly for evidence of beach community/regional hardship (economic, environmental or elemental) and then for evidence of the community's refusal to "give in", including:
- Development and/or implementation of innovative, community-based strategic or business plans designed to address a hardship
- Partnerships between council, industry and/or community which have been developed to address a hardship
- Successful outcomes from community strategies/initiatives which were designed to address a hardship
The judge's comments follow…
" As one of the last remaining open spaces on the Gold Coast, The Spit has been the subject of much development interest, prompting the local community to form the Save The Spit Alliance. The alliance is comprised of community, environment, fishing, tourism and business groups. Members meet fortnightly to discuss ways to maintain The Spit as a public space and to protect the waters of the Broadwater.
Alliance volunteers liaise with stakeholders, including the State government, park users and schools, to increase awareness of this special area.
The Alliance has organised a day of celebration at The Spit, held stalls at local events and set up an informative website. To date more than 20,000 signatures(*) have been collected in support of the group's aim. In addition, the Alliance intends to raise funds for further facilities and revegetation at the beach.
Community members at The Spit have come together with a common goal in a great example of beach spirit in action."
* now over 30,000 and growing. See www.keepaustraliabeautiful.org.au for more information.
SOSA Congratulates Federation Walk (again)
SOSA member & community caretaker of the eastern Spit coastal reserve, Federation Walk, has again received an award - this time the Keep Australia Beautiful Qld Community Action Award. SOSA congratulates Federation Walk for its outstanding efforts in preserving and beautifying the Eastern Spit.