Local Voice: Save North Lakes Golf Course

Local resident Phillip Carlson addresses Moreton Bay Regional Council on the sale of the North Lakes Resort Golf Club.

On Tuesday 14 August 2018, I had the privilege to provide a resident’s viewpoint on the incomprehensible re-development of the North Lakes Golf Course into a retirement village.

I spoke to most of the Moreton Bay Regional Council Councillors, a few staff and some members of the public. Our local Councillor, Julie Greer advised those in chambers that on the advice of the Integrity Commissioner, she had a conflict of interest and left the room. I was appalled that she could not even hear a constituent’s concerns.

For 5 minutes I spoke about several provisions of a document that regulates all development in North Lakes, the Mango Hill Infrastructure Development Control Plan (MHIDCP).

The MHIDCP states that it may be amended, but only if an amendment is minor and does not affect any person. Further, because the original developers chose to build a golf course, that it must always remain a golf course.

The intent of the MHIDCP is to provide clarity to those who bought land in North Lakes. Clarity is something that we could really use a lot more of right now.

Part of me is still hoping that this has all been some collective bad dream from which we will soon wake. However I begrudgingly accept that it’s not and to VRG I say:

WE WILL fight on and WE WILL ensure there is always a golf course in North Lakes.

Words by Phillip Carlson