Get the Facts – Whitewater Centre not on heritage land

The Redland Whitewater Centre at Birkdale will not in any way be affected by heritage listing of a site 600m away.

There are no State or local heritage constraints on the section of the Birkdale Community Precinct set aside for the Redland Whitewater Centre.

Reporting of that in The Courier-Mail on Tuesday 3 May 2022 is incorrect.

The whitewater centre is 600m away from the heritage-listed Willards Farmhouse and is located at the opposite end of the precinct (see map below).

The entire precinct site is huge – 62 hectares – and will be one of the largest community spaces in South East Queensland.

In addition, two-thirds – or 40 hectares – of the Birkdale Community Precinct is protected conservation land.

Council saved Willards Farmhouse and continues to protect it

Redland City Council has always been the protector of Willards Farmhouse and supports its inclusion, including outbuildings, into the Queensland Heritage Register

Importantly Council is not wanting to reverse the gazetted heritage listing, but is appealing a part of the listing in response to an expanded boundary beyond the immediate farm complex.

Council’s submission reflected that of the State Government’s own heritage experts and our own independent heritage experts – that the farmhouse and outbuildings are the areas with State heritage value.

In fact Council saved Willards Farmhouse from being demolished for housing when we bought it in 2016.

Separately we also purchased the neighbouring property (where the whitewater venue will be located) in 2019 after a decade of lobbying the Federal Government who had earmarked the land as potentially accommodating 400 houses.