Community
23 October, 2024
Boat ramp blockaded
LOCAL residents blocked and closed the boat ramp at Cooya Beach last week in protest over no water and other issues.
It is believed by local community members that there is an agreement in place at the boat ramp for water to be provided in order for Traditional Owners to carry out their cultural activities, have meetings, assist with re-vegetation and deal with other projects.
It was alleged that the Douglas Shire Council recently cut off the water supply.
“We’ve had a talk with council and they haven’t really given us a valid explanation,” protest organiser Linc Walker said.
“It’s part of a state agreement, so it’s really not a council decision,” he said.
“We’ve spent 14 years of negotiations just for use and access as part of our native title process.
“We’ve had letter after letter threatening us with fines, just for practicing our culture. In the 21st Century, this is not acceptable, you cannot just change agreements.”
Locals believe that the long-term agreement is to have a water access point at the back of the toilets at Cooya Beach near the boat ramp.
Locals voluntarily turned the water off during the Cyclone Jasper floods, but allegedly the water, at some point since, has been permanently cut off.
Mr Walker and other protesters want to see the water back on and, beyond this existing water issue. They also believe the shire council needs to start talking more to the Traditional Owners on Country.
“There are people here that have been working with state and government for 50 years, so they know there are Traditional Owners in town. They need to develop relationships and work to the future peacefully,” Mr Walker said.
On the day of the protest (Wednesday, October 16), the council responded by saying “while the Traditional Owners have used a private pipeline to supply the reserve with free water from the toilet block for several years, there is no council record of the connection at the toilet block”.
“An internal council review has identified that there is no commitment in the Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) or Local Management Plan to connect town water to the site,” a council statement said. “The tap located at the toilet block was removed due to TC Jasper impacts but (the) council is coordinating a reinstallation of the tap as a priority.”
Mr Walker later told the Douglas Gazette that the water had been turned back on and the tap was now working.
John Walker, also told the Gazette, that last Friday the council had completed the job with new pipework and tap fittings.
“We are very happy with the final outcome” he said.
