The past four years has seen the development and growth of the Eagleby Community and Wetlands Group who have been doing all they can to make it known the proposed Coomera Connector isn’t welcome.
The Eagleby Wetlands borders the Albert River and is a vast wetland reserve. It is a natural habitat for over 200 native bird species, who thrive in the ponds, mangroves, and marshlands.
There is a lot of places to enjoy the wetlands starting with a 150-metre stretch of boardwalk. Halfway along the mangrove-lined boardwalk, a viewing platform extends out over the lagoon. Following on is a wide gravel path, marking the beginning of the one-kilometre River Walk.
The state government via Transport and Main Roads have proposed a six-lane motorway, Coomera Connector, traversing this significant area.
Today, Tuesday July 4, around 15 members of the Eagleby Community and Wetlands Group staged a peaceful protest outside State Member for Macalister, Melissa McMahon’s, office.
Before Ms McMahon left for another event, she said that “I support peaceful protests in all its forms and happy to continue to meet and facilitate meetings with the Eagleby Wetlands Group.”
Eagleby Community and Wetlands Group chairman Marcus Fitz-Gerald was leading the committee and other members and supporters at today’s protest and was keen to share the message to all that would listen.
“We just had an idea to set up, and not be like your usual stereotypically style that you would see, but more representing here are everyday people out, just making their presence felt at the (Ms McMahon’s) office just to let the local member know that there needs to be a rethink on this,” said Mr Fitz-Gerald.
“There’s a better way of dealing with the funding of what could be done to improve transport around here rather than spreading the pie even thinner and building new infrastructure when there’s existing roads, rail, busways that could be upgraded and extended themselves.
“All of these proposals for the Coomera Connector mirror what, virtually unearth the same proposals from the mid-90s Eastern Tollway, the Koala Motorways, which was stopped thanks to community support.
“This is sort of our starting effort here where we are saying we are going to make a stand; we start here in Eagleby, and we work out from there getting through all the suburbs cross the river because it does affect such a large area of people.
“It’s the quality of life. It’s the birds, it’s looking after the land, it’s the noise where people live. Just waking up every morning to that noise, that’s the big thing,” said Mr Fitz-Gerald.
Stage 1 of the Coomera Connector between Coomera and Nerang has already started construction and is around 16km long with it expected to open progressively from 2025.
The Australian and Queensland governments have each committed $1.08 billion to the $2.16 billion to plan and build Coomera Connector Stage 1 between Coomera and Nerang.
Planning is well underway for the future stages of the Coomera Connector, the remaining 29km between Loganholme and Coomera. The gazetted Coomera Connector corridor also includes provision for a local road connection from the Coomera Connector at Eagleby to the intersection of Beenleigh–Redland Bay Road and Mount Cotton Road, at Carbrook.
