Redland City Council has commenced construction on an $800,000 upgrade to the car park at Charlie Buckler Sportsfield on Boundary Road, Redland Bay.

Mayor Karen Williams said work started at the beginning of July and would include resurfacing as well as the installation of stormwater pipes, kerb and channelling, 14 street lights, footpaths and landscaping.

“The project supports Council’s $31 million budget commitment to enhancing and maintaining the city’s naturally wonderful parks, conservation areas and sports areas this financial year,” Cr Williams said.

Division 6 Councillor, Julie Talty said the Charlie Buckler Sportsfield car park was low lying and subject to flooding during and after heavy rain.

“The upgrade will go a long way to mitigating flooding and improving safety, and will be welcomed by the clubs that use and call the sports field home,” she said.

“This work is expected to be completed by the end of September, weather permitting, and is just the first of what is expected to be a multi-stage project, subject to future Council budgets.”

Security has been enhanced at Capalaba Place, with Council recently installing 31 security cameras in the area, while another five cameras have been installed at Wellington Point.

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said Council had worked closely with the Federal and State governments to secure funding for the security upgrades.

“Council received $60,944 towards the security camera installations in Capalaba as part of a grant from the Federal Government’s Safer Communities Fund, which also included recent camera installations at Weinam Creek, Redland Bay,” she said.

“For the Wellington Point cameras, we have received $25,350 in funding from the State’s Department of Local Government, Racing and Multicultural Affairs under the Local Government Grants and Subsidies Program.

“We now also have a Memorandum of Understanding between Council, Translink and the Queensland Police Service so any footage captured by these cameras can be shared.”

Division 8 Councillor Tracey Huges said the cameras at Capalaba Place were the culmination of a lot of work by Council, police and traders to help maintain safety in the area between the shopping centres.

“The safety of bus drivers and their passengers at the Capalaba bus interchange will be increased thanks to these cameras,” she said.

“We can now help monitor what is happening in this area.

“With 19 cameras now in operation at the interchange and an additional 12 cameras around the library and green space areas, they will certainly help deter anti-social behaviour.”

Division 1 Councillor Wendy Boglary said installation of the security cameras in Wellington Point would be welcomed by residents and business owners alike.

“For residents, regular hooning late at night has been an ongoing issue, and having the latest high-tech cameras with license plate recognition software will certainly help the police identify the culprits,” she said.

“Business owners also can look forward to the added security and deterrent that having this network of cameras will bring.

“This has been a long process, with firstly having to get a Security Camera Policy through Council, so to finally see the cameras installed is a great relief.”

Cr Williams thanked the Federal and State governments for their investment in Redlands Coast.

“While cameras may act as a deterrent to anti-social behaviour, they are no substitute for community vigilance.

“Anyone who witnesses behaviour they believe to be illegal should report it to Policelink on 131 444.”

Please be aware of incorrect media reports recently that Council is selling more than 4200 blocks of surplus land on the Southern Moreton Bay Islands and North Stradbroke Island.

This is inaccurate.

You won’t find more than 4200 blocks of Council land for sale for $15,000 on the Southern Moreton Bay Islands and you won’t find any Council land for sale on North Stradbroke Island.

Redland City Council on 10 June made a procedural change to put a policy around sale of surplus land on the four Southern Moreton Bay Islands of Macleay, Russell, Lamb and Karragarra islands. North Stradbroke Island is not included.

Council is not proactively selling off land, but has put in place a process for adjoining neighbours to go through at their cost and at market value should they wish to purchase an adjoining piece of land owned by Council and which is surplus to Council needs.

When people have asked before to buy this land next to them, Council has not had a streamlined process.

Previously a report needed to go to Council for each sale, which made it time consuming and resource intensive.

The number of properties that could be eligible for application by an adjoining property owner is about 345 – not the more than 4200 referred to in The Courier-Mail and which Council owns overall on the Southern Moreton Bay Islands.

Any property owners wishing to purchase the land would need to amalgamate it with their current land to obtain a larger yard.

It cannot be subdivided.

Redland City Council today backed a State Government recommendation for heritage protection of a former US Army Radio Receiving Station used in World War II.

Mayor Karen Williams said key heritage features located on the Council-owned land – including the main radio receiving building, surrounding yard and access road to Old Cleveland Road East – were included in the preferred boundary proposed for a State heritage listing.

“Council finalised purchase of the former Commonwealth land at 362-388 Old Cleveland Road East, Birkdale in December 2019, knowing of the Commonwealth’s intention to apply to the State Government for a heritage listing over part of the site,” Cr Williams said.

“The Australian Government has since applied to the Queensland Department of Environment and Science to have a portion of the historical site listed on the Queensland State Heritage Register.

“As part of this process, the Department of Environment and Science (DES) has prepared three possible options for the extent of the heritage listing and has asked Council for comments on these.

“Council supported the DES recommended boundary.

“This feedback will be passed onto the Queensland Heritage Council, which is expected to consider the matter on 26 June 2020.

“I worked hard over several years to purchase this land for the Redlands Coast community and Council has an obligation to manage the various heritage values on the site, irrespective of any State listing.

“Council engaged a consultant to undertake a site review and prepare a heritage management plan, the report for which will be finalised once the decision of the Queensland Heritage Council is known.

“Council’s review also includes heritage values of the property that don’t necessarily meet the criteria for listing on the State Government heritage register. This will include identifying heritage values that can be included on the local heritage register.”

Councillor for Division 10 Paul Bishop said it was a site with many stories, from the Quandamooka people through to early pioneers and the US-army radio receiving station technology that was used during World War II and was the radio headquarters for all in-coming communications in the fight against the Japanese Imperial Army.

“They were able to receive messages from across the world using encrypted technology that was the basis of the modern internet,” Cr Bishop said.

“I look forward to this site being protected and many more stories being told about this remarkable place.”