queensland Raby Bay Dredging & Peel Island ( Teerk Roo Ra ) Access

[archer63]

Hi All,

For those interested, I finally received a letter yesterday from Dr Steven Miles office, who is the Minister for Environment & Heritage Protection/Minister for National Parks & The Great Barrier Reef, responding to my original email that I had sent to our local Member for Cleveland - Dr Mark Robinson where I had forwarded some concerns about the area in front of the new southern ramp which is quite shallow at low tide and therefore is not being utilised as much as it could be. I also mentioned that I was interested in visiting the old Leper colony on Peel Island - Teerk Roo Ra, and that I was disappointed that access to this site appeared to be restricted.

Dredging:

I was advised that Management of navigational channels, including dredging & public boat ramps, is the responsibility of the Minister for the Department of Transport & Main Roads - Mark Bailey, therefore my email had been forward on to his office for " consideration ".

Fair enough I suppose.

Peel Island - Teerk Roo Ra:

Was advised that Teerk Roo Ra National Park is jointly managed by the Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service ( QPWS ) & the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation ( QYAC ) who represent the Aboriginal Native Title holders for the area.

Basically the letter states that access is restricted due to there being several unstable structures within the historic site and also asbestos containing building debris & the site also contains many significant relics which have also been the subject of theft & arson in the past.

As such, to ensure public safety and maintaine the integrity of the site as much as possible, public access is currently restricted. However, authorised tours are regularly accommodated by request and witrh the consent of QYAC. Tours can also be arranged by contacting the QPWS at Fort Lytton National Park on 3393 4647.

The Friends of Peel Island Association ( FOPIA ) also helps with conducting tours of the Lazarett compound when larger groups wish to visit.

The letter finishes by stating:

NPSR & QPAC support continued public access to Teerk Roo Ra National Park and guided tour access to the historic Lazarette. Structure stabilisation & asbestos management works are ongoing with the view of improved public access when safety & security issues can be adequately addressed.

So I guess this means that I can access the compound after all for an officially organised tour....which is basically all I was looking for. One visit would be be enough for me...just so I could see & feel the history of the colony first hand.

Sounds like a result to me, so therefore thanks must go to Dr Mark Robinson for his interest in following up and forwarding my query onto the relevant department and subsequently Dr Steven Miles's office for reply.

I do however very much look forward to the reply from Minister - Mark Bailey for his response to the need for dredging in front of the Raby Bay Boat Ramp area, especially the area in front of the newer southern ramp.

I have read in our local paper recently that " levelling " of the area has been completed previously and is earmarked for the near future, but this does not fix the problem in the long term or really solve the issue.

At the end of the day, I am just a local boat owner requesting a deeper channel in front of both ramps at the Raby Bay Boat Ramp which would help make launching & returning from there a more pleasant experience on the weekends with less queuing & potential conflict.

I have no political bones in my body and I must admit that I am generally not too interested in politics to be perfectly honest...unless something appears on my radar that I have issues with.

Will keep you posted with any updates.

Cheers

Rob

[samsteele115]

Thanks for posting Rob. It seems the raby bay boat ramp channel gets shallower every time I launch there. I drove through 40cm depth over a coffee rock bottom last time and it wasn't even dead low tide. Then again, I don't really like the idea of dredging either. Why must everything have consequences haha

[archer63]

Agree Sam !!

I've done the same.

But I also think it a waste of money to build a new ramp that boatie's ( some, not all ) can't use at all tide stages. With the new floating docks taking up one lane...there is less room...which can only create dramas with more queuing on the weekends.