Last year, one of the hottest travel trends was technology. ), Off the Plan: The Urbanisation of the Gold Coast. Gold Coast | Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport It is important to note however, that the decision by the government not to proceed was taken at the height of a state government election campaign. Potts, R., A. Dedekorkut, & C. Bosman (2013). 11One challenge for planners is to find the balance between fostering new development for a rapidly growing population and preserving the heritage and character of the existing urban realm. Key markets include China, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Europe, South East Asia, North America, and Gulf countries. 1In recent years the body of literature on the City of Gold Coast, Australia has grown substantially. Other tourism related developments on the Spit were also approved during this time and were subsequently built, renovated and extended: an exclusive shopping precinct, a commercial fishing wharf (now also accommodates super yacht berths), an exclusive resort complex and an international hotel and apartment complex (Figure 4). An uneasy coexistence: An Aboriginal perspective of contact history in Southeast Queensland, Aboriginal History, 18(2): 87-94. Our monthly newsletters are a great way to stay in touch with city news, events and business. In December 2005 the Queensland State Government created a Gold Coast Marine Development Project Board to act as the proponent for the Spit development. Although there are not as many (far from it!) Scott, N., Gardiner, S., & Dedekorkut, A. Having taught at a university near London Heathrow for several years, this was always a topic of interest to my students and made a popular choice of dissertation topic. This suggests that the people who signed and attended the Save Our Spit rally were not necessarily the ones who visited the Spit on an everyday, regular basis. , Opladen/ Framington Hills, Barbara Budrich Publishers. The City of Gold Coast is a case in point and no more so than currently (2017) with proposals to build a cruise terminal or/and a casino, and high rise residential towers on its protected coastal strip (the Spit). Conflict then potentially occurs as a result of the difference in place values between the new and old players/community members. The current dune works program systematically controls introduced plants and encourages native coastal species to cover the dunes. Will this be the new norm, accepted and valued by local communities, the old players? By June 2013 the development project was in doubt, primarily on account of fiscal arrangements. The sprawl includes tourism facilities themselves and supporting infrastructure such as roads, employee housing, parking, service areas, and waste disposal. Today the city welcomes more than 12 million visitors annually (ABS, 2015). The Gold Coast enjoys almost 300 days of sunshine per year that most people, particularly those who are coming from countries with cold winters, really find comfortable. Continue with Recommended Cookies. The Wider Caribbean Region, stretching from Florida to French Guiana, receives 63,000 port calls from ships each year, and they generate 82,000 tons of rubbish. Proceedings of UHPH 14 Landscapes and ecologies of urban history and planning: Passion, Power & Prejudice: A Remarkable Untold Account of a Magic City in the Making Gold Coast. Cheng, A.S., L.E. I have also created a new YouTube video on the environmental impacts of tourism, you can see this below. The Gold Coast is renowned for its natural beauty . Instead the augment put forward by the government was that the decision not to proceed was based on the cost to taxpayers; an economic, rationale not an environmental, nor a cultural, and certainly not a social or community rationale. Mayor Tate, backed by the newly elected Newman Liberal National Party State Government put out a call for expressions of interest to develop a range of tourist infrastructure including a casino, hotels and cruise ship terminal on the Spit (See SOSA, a). By July 2006 (just ten months into the feasibility studies) the SOSA had collected over 20,000 signatures as part of their petition to the state government to stop development on the Spit (SOSA d). Mobilities on the Gold Coast, Australia: implications for destination governance and sustainable tourism, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 21: 4, 557-579. It capitalises on its almost-perfect climate, laid-back environment, and lifestyle. Australia's Gold Coast has long been derided as an "overgrown resort town" and a "cultural desert". This type of development and land use contravenes the newly legislated Gold Coast planning instrument, The City Plan (2015), which prohibits residential land use and has a building high restriction of three floors. Coastal management | City of Gold Coast It can put enormous pressure on an area and lead to impacts such as: soil erosion, increased pollution, discharges into the sea, natural habitat loss, increased pressure on endangered species and heightened vulnerability to forest fires. New players invariably bring with them new ideas, concepts, beliefs and place values. Since the 1950s the histories of the City of Gold Coast have shown little responsibility for the past and scant obligation to future generations. In the year ending March 2010, domestic and international tourism expenditure was $3.9 billion. The Gold Coast is one of the most important tourism destinations in Australia. Posted by Sarina Castillo | Gordon Holden (2011) writes: While having a strong sense of place may be seen as a lower priority than safe drinking water or sewerage systems for the health of a city it is widely accepted that a holistic approach to city planning includes encouraging a recognisable sense of place. You can also look at ways to offset your carbon footprint. While we continue to receive an increasing number of bookings year in and year out, we, like so many other Gold Coast accommodation providers rely heavily on, Read More Third Party Hotel Booking Sites Aid Gold Coast AccommodationContinue, I have always believed that the best companions for any travel are your own family, and it looks like I am not the only one who shares the same sentiment. The Gold Coast ranked in second place, and interestingly, visiting the rainforest was selected by 40% of respondents as their most preferred activity from a list of new experiences for the Gold Coast. The most significant of these was yet another cruise ship terminal proposal in mid-2012; this time emanating from the City of Gold Coast Council Mayor, Tom Tate (Figure 6). This damages the flora and fauna in the area and can cause serious damage to coral reefs. This provides an overall health score for each beach compartment. GOLD COAST MC, Qld 9726 Ph: +61 7 5552 8116, Fax: +61 7 5552 8171 . Sewage pollution threatens the health of humans and animals. Today, the Gold Coast is one of the most famous tourist cities in Australia and it accommodates more than ten million visitors annually.In the wider Australian context, 85% of the population lives within 50 km of the beach, evidencing popular lifestyle cultural preferences of many Australians. Southeast Queensland has already had its hottest September on record and early spring is rapidly turning into early summer. Discover tips and programs that can help you live more sustainably. Tourism is a large, diffuse global industry. (eds), Advancing Conflict Transformation. The battle between old and new players and their place-making practices is ongoing. 5This article shows how the evolution and resolution of development conflicts on the citys protected coastal strip (the Spit) are symptomatic of the evolution of place values and how, this informs a shift towards better coastal protection. The impacts intensify during extreme weather events. Its population, which is currently at around 500,000, is growing at the rate of 16,000 per year. 62% said that they observed improved facility maintenance due to the fact that more and more visitors come here every year. In an effort to save the Spit from major development a second rally took place in November 2012 and studies indicated that the Spit environs have been identified as a key environmental asset worth more than $611 million for the city (Weston 2013). Dredge, D. (2011). Meanwhile, 59% agreed that tourism benefited the Gold Coast because it increased local pride. An example of this was the carbon offsetting fee that I could . This corresponds to the activities of surfing, diving, fishing and dog walking; the four primary everyday activities that take place on the Spit. Hayden, D. (1995). Evidence suggests a variety of impacts to coral result from shoreline development. Place meaning and values emerge out of everyday activities and are produced through and by global and societal influences. Given the population figures of the City and the number of dog owners, these beaches are highly valued by the users thereof. It also causes distress to wildlife and can cause animals to alter their natural activity patterns. maintaining dunes with enough vegetation to enhance the buffer against erosion. Wear, R. (2002). It was not until the late 1990s when some noticeable changes started to occur. Lazarow, N. and R. Tomlinson (2009). This was despite the existing framework that was established under the National Cooperative Approach to Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) and the Australias Oceans Policy. Landscapes: The Social Construction of Nature and the Environment. Cyclones, tsunamis and storm surges affect not just our coastal development and recreational amenity, but also the ecosystems of our coast. Other development proposals that did not get off the ground included an amusement oasis, a mini city comprising 8000 permanent residents and a golf course (Condon, 2006). Those that did use the Spit regularly, as the surveys testify, perhaps took the Spit for granted or felt disempowered. It often puts a strain on water resources, and it can force local populations to compete for the use of critical resources. Our blog features the thoughts, ideas and original publications from our members. The result is a risky place that holds little meaning for local people and fails to capture and hold the interest of tourists. Today the city welcomes more than 12 million visitors annually (ABS, 2015). Others emphasise that conflicts frequently emerge as a result of change, and as meanings, values and attachments to places alter (Mitchell, 2011). The casuarina forest. (2006). Yet the Spit is also a well-known and targeted place of conflict with pro- and anti- development stakeholders vying for opposing outcomes for the place, and often running parallel debates to the national agenda. Employing over 3.2 million people, coastal tourism generates a total of 183 billion in gross value added and representing over one third of the maritime economy of the European Union. The City of Gold Coast is also dissected by numerous rivers and creeks that have largely been reconfigured and developed into prime real estate around artificial canals (Figure 1). Visitor numbers to the Gold Coast are increasing but international tourists are staying shorter and are spending less. thesis, University of Queensland. (1994). It features a state-of-the-art casino, airport, race course, and two sporting stadiums. As I have articulated throughout this post, there are a range of environmental impacts that result from tourism. social and environmental dimensions to evolve new patterns of managing and growing tourism in a more systematic and dynamic way in this new century. We work to protect our dunes and promote healthy native vegetation by: Learn more about how you can care for our coastal environment through Our beaches. I have heard many stories of this and I also witnessed it first hand when I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. Habitats can be degraded by tourism leisure activities. This may result in increased animals deaths, for example road-kill deaths. Not too long ago the island of Borocay in the Philippines was closed to tourists to allow time for it to recover from the negative environmental impacts that had resulted from large-scale tourism in recent years. The Gold Coast in Australia is one of these coastal places, which developed through taking advantage of its environmental assets, such as direct access to the sea, a white sandy shoreline, an extensive and naturally protected broadwater and several large accessible rivers. Tourism development can put pressure on natural resources when it increases consumption in areas where resources are already scarce. Every year, thousands of domestic and international tourists choose our beautiful region for their holiday destination due to several reasons. It requires a good plan, and the resourcing to implement it. We divided the compartments into 3 categories according to: For each beach compartment, we assess 4 measures of beach health: We then weight the scores from these measures equally against the 3 categories. Cruise ships are estimated to produce more than 70,000 tons of waste each year. This pattern is immersed within the history of Southport as discussed below and the Gold Coast as a whole (see for example Whelan, 2006). Tourism Impacts and Sustainable Developments - Environmental Protection Additional projects are undertaken when there are seawall construction works. 16Development controversy on the Spit ended temporality in 1992 when a newly elected Labor State Government disbanded the Waterways Authority. (2000). The Spit is located at the northern end of the city (see Figure 1), across the Broadwater from the early (1880s) settlement of Southport, and is the result of the reconfiguration of the sand dune at the mouth of the Nerang River in the late 1800s following a series of storms (see GCCM, 2006). Without this vegetation, sand on the beach is blown inland, reducing the amount of sand on the beach, and impacting properties and infrastructure. Being a Gold Coast Tourism partner, we strive to help you make well-informed choices without burning a hole in your pocket. By July 2006 (just ten months into the feasibility studies) the SOSA had collected over 20,000 signatures as part of their petition to the state government to stop development on the Spit (SOSA d). The Council of the City of Gold Coast also revealed that 20% of the city's total earnings come from the tourism industry. The same number of respondents agrees that their local area should keep attracting the same number of tourists as it offers several benefits both to residents and to the region. Australia's Gold Coast: A city producing itself, in Lindner, C. Negative impacts from tourism occur when the level of visitor use is greater than the environment's ability to cope with this use within the acceptable limits of change. She said: it would be great if [the Spit] was less environmentally sensitive, if people had less emotional attachment to it that would make it a lot easier. (Courier Mail, 2006). Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. During storm events, sand from the beach and dune system is eroded to form a nearshore storm bar. Gold Coast's success married to tourism in good times and bad 2. Learn how you can help. The majority of survey respondents were employed (non-professional) Australian males aged between 25-54, which corresponds with the major activities of surfing and diving. Southport Urban Heritage and Character Strategy Review, Gold Coast City. A cluster analysis of these residents revealed nature-biased (45%), unenthusiastic (40%), hinter-land hesitant (8%), and enthusiastic (7%) groupings, with significant differences occurring in gender . Here, it is crucial to undertake further research into the costs and benefits of investing into new attractions, in particular when capital costs are large. The region offers kilometres of pristine surfing beaches, backed by a hinterland that is littered with waterfalls and natural wonders. The politics of place: Understanding meaning, common ground, and political difference on the Rocky Mountain Front, Forest Science, 49(6): 855- 866. Vu cette attraction pour le littoral, on pourrait prsumer que lAustralie soit lavant-garde des dveloppements touristiques et de la protection de son littoral. Largely because of this phenomenon, the pattern of settlement and subsequent development of the city differs from most traditional Australian settlement and development patterns. Coral reefs are especially fragile marine ecosystems. Sparkling beaches and waterways are synonymous with our city. Niche market attractions, such as artificial reefs, cruise ship holidays, or mountain bike parks were of limited mass appeal, but could be attractive for selected markets. In the 2019 calendar year, the Gold Coast tourism sector made $5.9 billion. LinkedIn. After traveling to the Gold Coast earlier this year and experiencing the lengths to which organisations are going to, to reduce their environmental impact, I believe that tourism is definitely helping to raise environmental awareness and reduce the damage caused to the environment. To this end, it is interesting to note the emergence of arguments in the spit conflict, which are now giving more weight to coastal conservation which only tentatively existed existed ten years ago. In December 2005 the Queensland State Government created a Gold Coast Marine Development Project Board to act as the proponent for the Spit development. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Respondents were then asked to rate the overall impact tourism has 12What is now certain is that the constantly evolving urban landscape on the Gold Coast has come about through a pattern of conflict, change and adjustment to a new norm. Tensions and differences in the cycle of conflict on the Southport Spit. Freimund, and J.M. Gold Coast Harbour Study Report No22, Economic Development and Major Projects, Gold Coast City. installing dune fencing and maintaining public access ways, running community dune planting and beach clean activities, using designated beach access ways and keeping off the dune vegetation, disposing of rubbish and green organics in the bins provided, reporting camping and vegetation vandalism as soon as possible. Beach sieving is conducted 365 days per year, with approximately 64 acres of sand sieved per night. (1967). The Economic Impacts of Tourism on the Gold Coast . and R.G. Despite the fact that the project was eventually abandoned one year later at the favor of the new state election, ASF is still in the starting blocks to deliver mostly a casino under the official form of an integrated resort development. Longhurst, R. (1993). To provide effective opposition to the state government and its plans for the Southport Spit a consortium of community groups joined to form the Save Our Spit Alliance (SOSA). Hay, I. The most recent intent (December 2016), as part of the integrated resort development proposal (with the support of the state government) is for the development of five high-rise towers on the Spit. Tourism is a . The most commonly noted positive environmental impact of tourism is raised awareness. Wise, P. and S. Breen (2004). For instance, in 1999, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act introduced an important change as it gave the Australian Government significant powers to influence coastal environmental policy and planning (. positive environmental impacts of tourism as there are negative, it is important to note that tourism CAN help preserve the environment! How can the Gold Coast recover from the COVID-19 pandemic? However, transformation or rebranding does not come without asking some hard questions and exploring new territory. Changes in the coastline at the Surfers Paradise district, Credits: Southport Local Studies Libraries and Karine Dupre. For example, wildlife viewing can bring about stress for the animals and alter their natural behaviour when tourists come too close. 7The Gold Coast coastline has, not surprisingly, been significantly impacted by the rapid urbanisation (Figure 2); specifically during the post-war period (the glorious Fifties), and continuing into the 1960s and again in the early 1990s. Patrimoines naturels, socio-conomiques et culturels des territoires insulaires : quel avenir ? Our city is naturally unique. Environment & sustainability | City of Gold Coast The supposition being that the advice from the Board would be in favour of development. Making Sense of Place: Exploring concepts and expressions of place through different senses and lenses, Canberra, National Museum of Australia. In doing this, however, different people, or different groups of people, often come to value places in different ways to one another (Cheng, 2003). Place: A Short Introduction, Carlton, Blackwell. Greider, T. and Garkovich, L. (1994). The Gold Coast is one of Australia's most iconic coastal cities. A few months after a well-attended and enthusiastic protest, and in response to a continued barrage of criticism about the development proposal (see SOSA, a), the then Deputy Premier, Anna Bligh, herself a Gold Coaster by childhood experiences, summed up the situation. Kriesberg, L. (1982). The most important resort within the Gold Coast is Surfers Paradise, famous for its fabulous beaches and surfing. 19To provide effective opposition to the state government and its plans for the Southport Spit a consortium of community groups joined to form the Save Our Spit Alliance (SOSA). In areas with high concentrations of tourist activities and appealing natural attractions, waste disposal is a serious problem, contributing significantly to the environmental impacts of tourism. One thing that did emerge from the data was that all respondents who indicated that they were unaware of the development proposals also indicated that they were against development on the Spit, but not necessarily opposed to the upgrade of facilities. HRSP.com.au has exclusive management access to a limited number of properties at the building. As with most serious development conflicts, this remains unresolved, although it has taken on a very different form, moving from physical altercations into the political realm. The tensions and differences between the two groups of players seem irreconcilable (see table 1). The Premier did not directly acknowledge that this decision reflected the views of over 22,000 local residents (SOSA, d). The development of tourism facilities can involve sand mining, beach and sand dune erosion and loss of wildlife habitats. Dining experiences were also very important to visitors, especially when they occur in the natural environment. Weston, P. (2013). It is of interest to note that 50 percent of users surveyed were not aware of the development proposals for the Spit and only 15 percent were or had been involved in community action against the proposed development that threatened the Spit environs. By June 2013 the development project was in doubt, primarily on account of fiscal arrangements. Dedekorkut-Howes, A. and C. Bosman (2015). We have created GIFT Insights blog to share project insights and latest commentary from our members on current tourism industry related news. Figure 6. Importantly, the survey data indicated that the Spit environs were perceived as a safe and valuable community asset. They suffer worldwide from reef-based tourism developments and from tourist activity. It is important to note that the Spit is one of three (and it is the primary) off-leash dog exercise beach. There is also the continual risk of pollution from hard rubbish and stormwater that can have significant effects on water quality and wildlife. The intent of the new players is to disrupt the existing norms as understood by the old players. Some of the most common noted examples include using up water resources, land degradation and the depletion of other local resources. If youre after affordable Gold Coast accommodation thats close to the beach and all major attractions, your best bet is to book your accommodation in Surfers Paradise. Because of the seasonal character of the industry, many destinations have ten times more inhabitants in the high season as in the low season. Sense of Place and Urbanity: Challenges and Interventions at the Gold Coast, Proceedings from the 4th Making the Cities Liveable Conference, 27-29 July, Noosa. Wise, P. and S. Breen (2004). Using observed market expenditure to estimate the value of recreational surfing to the Gold Coast, Australia, Proceedings from the Queensland Coastal Conference. Our beautiful beaches are one of our most precious natural assets for both residents and visitors as well as a major natural economic asset. In effect the State Government created its own proponent for the project, a proponent that was also to advise the Government. Management of the AONB is designed to minimise the negative impacts of visitor pressure. Gold Coast City Council (2010). George, J., chair (2009). Our monthly newsletters are a great way to stay in touch with city news, events and business. The Gold Coast has a major opportunity with the Commonwealth Games. Place values participate to city branding (come to surf to Kirra, whale season!, etc.). As with most serious development conflicts, this remains unresolved, although it has taken on a very different form, moving from physical altercations into the political realm. Such damage can be even more extensive when visitors frequently stray off established trails. Advancing Conflict Transformation. Yet, things were about to change. As a result, by the 1980s the Broadwater and the Spit were secured by the construction of groins, channel dredging and a sand bypass system. We also have complementary plans and strategies to deliver a coordinated approach to coastal management. ), opposed by the steady resistance of the old players (save our Spit!). Will we, one day, develop place-attachment for a cruise ship terminal or casino on the Spit? Aujourdhui la ville de Gold Coast est lune des principales destinations touristiques australiennes et accueille plus de dix millions de visiteurs par an.En Australie, 85% de la population habite dans un rayon de 50km de la plage, avec les prfrences de style de vie qui y sont associes. The conflict between new and old values, interests and land uses of the different players in this game have not abated, nor is resolution any closer. The casuarina forest, Griffith Review 2 (Dreams of Land): 37-49. Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our Privacy and Disclaimer. Jenningss last fight to save the Spit was instigated in 1979 when the Queensland National/Liberal State Government, under the Premiership of Sir Jon Bjelke-Petersen (see Wear, 2002; Whitton, 1989), established the Gold Coast Waterways Authority to address tidal inundation and the impacts of storm surges in the Broadwater and the erosion of the Spit.
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