The 'come one come all' approach to tourism lacks direction and can place fragile natural environments under pressure  with high visitation and high impact activities.  Nature guided tours and birdwatching are examples that "...can bring economic resources to remote communities diversifying their economies and contribute to biodiversity conservation in areas of bird habitat with global significance..." (Schwoerer T, Dawson  (2022) Small sight—Big might: Economic impact of bird tourism shows opportunities for rural communities and biodiversity conservation).   

​​Mission Beach has some of the most productive soils in Australia so it is important to keep good quality agricultural land for agriculture. It is a valuable resource. It should not be subdivided into small blocks (e.g. urban) where it can’t be used for agriculture any more.  Even one acre of good quality agricultural land can be productive for crops such as flowers, vanilla, tropical fruits etc.

To quote "highly successful Fruit Forest Farm tropical fruit farmer Peter Salleras, "When it comes to diversifcation of agricultural land, we can't underestimate what's possible"

The Wet Tropics will become increasingly important for agriculture with climate change. We are likely to retain high rainfall. 
​
Establishing a high value niche cropping industry at Mission Beach is a good example of land use potential. It would;

​With an innovative approach and strong collective vision, we can not only protect the things we value most about where we live but secure a stable economic future for our community.

Photos;  Liz Gallie

MBC is calling into question the process to determine the upgrade of  the Mission Beach Village Green.

The large laser cut metal shade shelter, part of the original landscaping design, has been rejected by the community but remains the centre of attention. In suggesting the design needs to be of a more organic nature and reflect the character of Mission Beach, the project manager invited MBC to produce something 'tangible'.   MBC provided a mock up of an alternative pergola structure and seating at the culvert area as a starting point for discussion. Advice was sought from local artist/builder Brent Cook.  Photos of the Village green and David St including existing trees and palms have been used in the mockups.
​
Instead of initiating constructive discussion, the concepts (below) have been ignored.

Mission Beach Cassowaries has made submissions to the Cassowary Coast Regional Council on two important issues this month.

Proposed dog off Leash areas
 and 
Feedback invited on the Mission Beach Village Green/ town centre  project.
​

Based on community feedback, some revisions have been made to the draft concepts for the Mission Beach Town Centre Revitalisation project. The final concepts will be available to view on CCRC website here on Tuesday (tomorrow) 25 October and at a community drop in session at the Village Green on Wednesday 26 October between 3-6pm.

Mission Beach Cassowaries (MBC) is a member of the Town Centre Revitalisation Reference Group (RG). There has only been one meeting of the group to date and no opportunity to have any discussion to provide meaningful input. This is despite separate meetings held between the project manager, landscape architect and some of the group representatives. No invitation was officially offered to all reference group members.

When MBC applied to be part of the  RG it was with the understanding members were chosen on a 'merit basis'.  We expected the reference group would follow a formal process to incorporate relevant input into the town centre final design.
 
To the contrary, the process that determined the direction of the design appears to have ignored the original community feedback and intent which was overwhelmingly to retain the Mission Beach village character and reflect its natural beauty.

Apparently, from correspondence shared with the RG, community feedback on the draft concept design is 37% positive, 50% ’neutral’ and 13% negative. Not surprising given the distortion of scale, unrealistic artist impressions and generic style making it very difficult for the public to give informed feedback. 

Due to the lack of clear guiding principles the outcome has resulted in a mish mash of 'ideas' and 'on trend' design that dominates the natural environment and undermines the authentic character of Mission Beach.

It would be an irreversible mistake to attempt a change of character of Mission Beach – nor is there any right to do so. Locals and visitors appreciate the way Mission Beach reflects its exceptional natural environment inside and outside the World Heritage boundaries.  

​ Our village might need some attention, but such attention does not demand or allow for a change of character. ​

The intiial community feeback (right) includes;

Eating Pods
The restaurant 'eating pods' will be a mixture of laser cut metal shade structures and hard covers. A larger laser cut metal shade structure is planned for the centre of the existing 'green' as a performance area. These structures, even with vines growing over them would be hot to sit under and don't take into account Mission Beach's reputation as having one of the highest rainfalls in Australia. 

MBC comments:

• It would be more practical given the rainfall and temperatures and more in keeping with the low key village character to make any restaurant extensions hard shelters. 

​​
Village Green
The unusual white concrete 'shapes' appearing through the village green represent sand dunes - in line with the theme 'Rainforest to the Reef'. The extension of eating areas, 'dune sculptures', mounding of the small lawn areas along with the extensive use of concrete including raised concrete seating areas, clutter and reduce usable public space. 
All vegetation is to be removed and replaced with immature (potted) trees.

The Village Green is a smal intimate space.  The drawings are grossly out of scale. What is shown is not only out of character with the low key village atmosphere, it is not achieveable. 
MBC comments:

• 'Dune sculptures' should be removed and level lawn areas maximised.
• Reduce the amount of concrete particularly avoid raised concrete walls for seating.
• The Mission Beach sign should be exluded.
• Existing trees should be transplanted or field grown mature trees planted. (If there is not enough funds in the project budget, the community should be given the choice of raising funds for this purpose).​
• ​Creative locally designed chairs and tables strategically placed under the shade throughout the Village Green. (see examples below from Cairns Botanic garden). The community should be further consulted on furniture design.

​David Street Area
The village Green is to be extended to the end of David Street (Past the Shrubbery). Parking bays are to be removed with access provided for deliveries and residences along the esplanade. The concept includes a viewing/entertainment deck and beach retaining wall over the drain exit and along the beach. The infrastructure will require removal of  littoral vegetation.  
MBC comments:

• No removal of native vegetation from the littoral zone
• Remove viewing platform. Infrastructure should not be considered in the erosion zone.
• Rehabilitation of the littoral  zone. Emphasising and presenting the transition between the rainforest and the reef should be an essential part of the plan. (See Ulysses Park character)
• The same low key 'natural' design of shade trees, grass, meandering pathways in David Street would create a continuity of the existing 'Green'.
• The culvert could be redesigned to incorporate some basalt boulders to disguise the beach drain outlet if it is considered ugly; or a small base for a set of seats and table under shade of existing vegetation could be considered. Meaningful community input should be sought on any of these 'character changing' aspects of the upgrade. 
  
• The Foreshore Mangement Plan states;

1. Vision; the council and community show leadership in the protection, restoration and sustainable use of the Greater Mission Beach foreshore and work together to preserve and manage the foreshore for its significant contribution to Mission Beach being renowned  as a unique World Heritage Area and one of the best ecotourism destinations in the world
2. "The foreshore is cuturally significant and highly valued by the Djiru Traditional Owners"
3. "The foreshore is high valued for underpinning the identity, landscape character, scenic amenity and tropical lifestyle of its residents".
4. "The foreshore is valued for its function as a protective buffer against coastal hazards'"
5. "...the sustainable use of our foreshore achieves a careful balance between the protection of our high heritage value and pristine beaches in a  natural state while allowing for appropriate  recreation'"
6. " The foreshore is recognised as being essential for naturally occuring coastal and ecological porcesses'"
7. "...best practice foreshore management and recognising that conserevation, social values and economic wellbeing are firmly interdependent'
8. "The values and features are the foundation of a vibrant and sustainable tourism industry that protects and celebrates the unique natural values and toruism assets of Mission Beach".
9. "Maintaining and enhancing the scenic amentiy and landscape characger values of the foreshore  is very important'
10. The ongoing protection and stabilisation of the foreshore through best practice vegetation management  and not placing people, infrastructure or development at unacceptable risk from coastal hazards is vital to the ecological, economic and social wellbeing of our communities now and into the future".

Draft Final Concept Plan

​

Ends
​-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For more information,
contact;
Mission Beach Cassowaries Inc
0414 402 315
 
Tony and Robyn Pembroke
0413 456 59

No Helicopters Here campaign - www.nohelicoptershere.com

Photo/graphics Liz Gallie

While there have been no studies carried out specifically on cassowary responses to loud or constant anthropogenic noise, there have been several carried out on two of their closest relatives, the emu and ostrich, under captive conditions, in which emus showed ​​behaviours indicating stress and agitation (e.g. Jakob-Hoff et al 2019). A study of birds’ reactions to constant traffic noise through good habitat showed that constant noise degrades that habitat that is otherwise suitable, and that the presence of a species does not indicate the absence of a negative effect (the bird is just tolerating the noise) (Ware et al. 2015).

​​Cassowaries’ hearing has not been studied but it is known that they produce very low-frequency sounds as long-distance communication in the forest (Mack and Jones 2003). It is unknown how these sounds travel in a noisy environment. It has been observed that cassowaries respond to helicopter noise in a panicked way – Jeff Larson photographed an adult bird running in fear from a military helicopter flying overhead in Wongaling Beach on 17 April 2014 (2 of the 4-photograph sequence below).

REFERENCES: 
Jakob-Hoff, R.1., Kingan, M., Fenemore, C., Schmid, G., Cockrem, J.F., Crackle, A., Van Bemmel, E., Connor, R., and Descovich, K. 2019. Potential Impact of Construction Noise on Selected Zoo Animals. animals 9(8): 1-25.
Mack, A.L. and Jones, J. 2003. Low-Frequency Vocalizations by Cassowaries (Casuarius spp.). The Auk 120 (4): 1062-1068.
Ortega, C.P. 2012. Effects Of Noise Pollution On Birds: A Brief Review Of Our Knowledge. Ornithological Monographs 74: 6–22.
Ware et al. 2015. A phantom road experiment reveals traffic noise is an invisible source of habitat degradation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 112(39): 12105-12109.   ​

​“Photos I took while an Australian Army helicopter flew overhead as I was watching a cassowary deciding what to do from inside the fence of the Happy Days farm on Wheatley road. The helicopter came over and the bird immediately tore through the fence and across the road slipping in the act, falling over and sliding into the grass verge on the other side of the road. It then got up and quickly shot into the forest. If a vehicle had been coming the bird probably would have been killed. 5:05pm on the 17th of April 2014.”
​
​(in litt. J. Larson 7 December 2020).