BOB TURNER RECKONS WE NEED A BETTER ‘VISION’ FOR OUR FORESHORES
Well known island resident, Bob Turner, believes our planners should have a ‘better vision’ for our foreshores.
And Bob should know.
For many years he sailed the world living on his yacht offering sailing experiences in the Mediterranean, lived in Europe, became and architect, builder and is also an artist of some merit.
He also knows plenty about our island foreshores because he happens to live right on it in a unique spot on Russell Island with direct jetty access to Moreton Bay.
“I think we need to make our island foreshores more ‘liveable’.
“We go so far, but we don’t go far enough,” he told The Friendly Bay Islander.
Bob says living for many years in Europe and on the Mediterranean, they ‘got it right’ before motor vehicles were invented.
“Plazas and piazzas in Europe attract people to live and enjoy the waterfront.
“Here we use our best spaces to park our cars and ignore the best part of our islands,” a passionate Bob Turner said.
He instanced Jock Kennedy Park on Russell Island.
“It is potentially a lovely family area. But there is no place to tie up a boat, access is difficult, and the beach area has completely washed away.
“Had it been completed properly, families would be enjoying our shoreline in the way it should be.”
He also says we are ‘missing out’ on a potentially huge tourism visitation business and traffic.
“We literally have no amenities to aid the passing boating enthusiast in one of the most idyllic, passive waterways in Australia - Moreton Bay.”
Bob Turner reckons with the coming of new island jetties, we have a ‘one-off opportunity’ to ‘get it right’.
A big car park right on the foreshore, like it is on Macleay island, he says is ‘not the answer’.
“With new jetties coming and Russell Island to get the first of them, we should take this opportunity to get it right.
“They are also doing up Weinam Creek. Well I reckon we should make the foreshore on Russell Island in particular more welcoming and community friendly.”
“Lets move the parking a little further away and do something really ‘special’ with the area directly in front of the jetty.
He says the suggestion of a Cafe on the new jetties on Macleay and Russell Island by an island developer, would also be a ‘good start’.
He pointed to Australian destinations such as Sydney Harbour and Hobart as prime examples of making our foreshores more ‘liveable and user friendly’.
“Our islands in Moreton Bay offer huge potential for future positive visitation and growth so why not put our best thoughts into improving our island foreshores.”
He says the best example of this on our islands was Karragarra Island and some of the foreshore areas on North Stradbroke Island.
“Let’s have coffee down at our waterfront. Let’s meet our friends and family in our most beautiful locations,” he challenged.
• A painting by Bob Turner showing Russell Island foreshore how it could look!