Do you have an opinion to share? Submit a Letter to the Editor at Sunshine Coast News via news@sunshinecoastnews.com.au. You must include your name and suburb for accountability, credibility and transparency. Preference will be given to letters of 100 words or less.
- Read the story: Council votes to phase out long-term park tenants
Judy Stark, Dicky Beach: I live at Dicky Beach Holiday Park. My husband and I have lived as permanents for about 18 months now. When we bought our new home, we knew a change to our lease about staying was on the horizon. But we were knocked for six when we were informed we could stay indefinitely but would lose our right to on-sell our residence. The council had a vote on October 16 about residents being able to on-sell. The vote was six for to four against. I think this gives anyone a bit of an idea about the councillors who voted against the proposal. I wouldn’t want to be their parents as I would be very worried about when the time comes for the retirement village/nursing home.
Unfortunately, a lot of us can’t afford the big high-rise unit and the body corporate fees. So some of us have seen Dicky Beach Holiday Park as a fantastic location for us to see out our days. It is a wonderful place. The staff who run the park are all lovely. The park is always neat and tidy. I know a lot of people will have sour grapes because of the location and the rent we pay, but we made the commitment to live here. Our kids will not be inheriting anything at all because whoever is on the lease before May 2026 are the only people who will be able to stay. So children will not be able to inherit or live at the residence when their parents die.
We all love our residences we reside in. It might not be the Taj Mahal but it is ours. We don’t own the land but it is home sweet-home.
Tina Martin, Dicky Beach: I have lived at Dicky Beach Holiday Park for 12 months. I’m 62 years old. I bought a van because I was not in a position financially to buy on the open market as it is beyond my reach. I worked on my home nearly every weekend for months to get it to a standard I was happy with. My savings and my superannuation was put into my home to the sum of around $240,000 – not much for some but for me it was everything. Now, I have nothing to leave my kids.
We had council basically come into the park and tell us that after May 2026 we cannot resell our homes. I was in disbelief. My whole life turned to a value of nothing. Wow! I had my home up for sale due to ill health prior to this meeting. I’m devastated to say the least. My health had started to decline, so I needed to sell to be around family. Since this news my health has declined even more.
Romain Barrois, Landsborough: I have been a Coast resident for the past 15 years and I now live in Landsborough with my wife. I have been reading your news every day for the past few years and I love it, it’s very informative. Thanks for the good work. I know you allow the public to express their opinions, so I wanted to let you know my opinion regarding the long-stay caravan park at Dicky Beach.
Upon reading your article about the council debate last week, I was ulcerated by Joe Natoli’s response to the matter. Indeed, he justified his actions as a mayor in the past by stating it was a different time and there was no housing crisis back then. But what he seems to forget is that land has always been operated by the council, which should have never allowed renters to build their own homes.
I was also quite surprised by his opinion on the North Shore bird sanctuary and dogs. Moreover, in the shorebird article he states that dog and birds do not mix, and dogs should be banned from all beaches. Since when is Cr Natoli an animal behavioural specialist? The issue here is lack of training by dog owners to not have their dogs chasing birds and this is it.
Nicky Lloyd, Caloundra: Do they realise that these people will have no asset any more? When they go into care, they will have no money to put towards it. They also do not live there for free. Some people need to check the facts.
Frank Timmins, Maroochydore: As an ex-Kiwi and now living in Cotton Tree, I have seen this in both countries. Easy fix: find some land not on the beach but still within easy commute and place these folks and others with a lease of 5-10 years or until they pass away or leave. Not all of us are fortunate to afford a house or apartment for various reasons. This might also fix the caravan and boat parking problem as these owners could rent a space.
Ollie Fenty, Nambour: This council is just putting more people on the streets instead of decreasing homelessness. Shame. Vote no.
Gavin Gleadhill: Sorry to ask but where do low-income residents go if not a caravan park?
R. Gray: Disgusting behaviour by council. Are you going to pay the full amount that these properties were worth before you changed the rules?
Mavis Irving: I think it is totally wrong what council has done. They should pay these people for their sites. They bought them many years ago as an investment for their families. Pay them out now.
Syd Bevan, Tanah Merah: It is unfair to these long-time caravan residents. Councils were quite happy to take their money when there was no shortage of land and accommodation, but now real estate prices have hit the roof.
- Read the story: Company warns projects could suffer if expansion bid fails
Burnice Starkey, Glass House Mountains: The Glass House Mountains are an iconic Australian landscape, frequently featured in national and international film productions such as Black Snow 2 and Darby and Joan. The present Queensland Government and Minister for Environment and Tourism often use images of these mountains in promotional materials, and they are depicted in the Australian passport. These mountains hold significant cultural and spiritual value for the Gubbi Gubbi (Kabi Kabi) and Jinibara peoples, serving as sacred sites for ceremony, law and storytelling.
Despite their heritage status, Heidelberg Materials (Hanson), a multinational company, is seeking to expand its quarry at the base of Mount Coonowrin (Crookneck), which would double extraction from 600,000 tonnes to 1.2 million tonnes and increase heavy vehicle traffic through the region. At full capacity, this equates to one truck every three minutes passing through the township of Glass House Mountains during operating hours. The previous Queensland Government raised concerns that such an expansion could impinge the Human Rights Act.
Framing the protection of this environment, heritage and community as an obstacle to infrastructure is self-serving. There are several other quarries on the Sunshine Coast and major projects should not depend on this single quarry within the Glass House Mountains. How can we applaud our hinterland while plundering it for gravel?
- Read the story: Terminal transformation plans revealed in flythrough
Debra Mansini, Mount Coolum: In regard to the issue of boarding in wet weather, developers need only look to Cairns Airport for inspiration. The domestic terminal has covered ramps which enable, albeit not all, passengers to enter the plane at door height, without having to navigate stairs. The rear door is serviced via the tarmac and stairs. The ramps obviously require a large footprint, but nevertheless it may be worthwhile considering this design feature.
Ed’s note: Debra, you may be pleased to read that these ramps are being rolled out at the airport. Read the story here.
- Halloween boycott
Lynette Davies, Buderim: I want to encourage others to wake up and boycott Halloween. Even at face value, without studying its origins, Halloween teaches our kids to go door-to-door asking strangers for candy. Really? All amidst goblins, ghouls and demons. Do we need it? Do we want to actively welcome more darkness into our culture, which is full of depression, anxiety, suicide and self-obsession? What we vote for counts!
It’s much harder to get rid of darkness once you invite it in. Say “no” to the death cult that’s spreading globally into our homes, into our shops, into our way of life, our culture. No to skulls, crossbones, demons, monsters on clothing, in shops, on transaction machines, on products everywhere, on our cafe milk jugs. (No cup of death, thank you.) No to flying banners of death across our waterways.
And that goes for piracy too. Have you noticed all things pirate abounding? Pirates steal, kill and destroy. Why is our culture glorifying them? Let’s all wake up, speak up and say “no” to the spiritual darkness that wants our culture – and is taking it – before it’s too late.
- Dog care
Phillip Adamson, Maroochydore: With each summer appearing to be hotter than the previous one, I would hope all dog owners/walkers take their furry friend’s comfort into consideration when out walking them, and not just in high temperatures. Caring dog owners love their pet and like to spend time taking the furry member of the family on walks for various reasons as it is an excellent way for us and the dog to exercise and to socialise, and to interact with other dogs. However, that being said, from my own observations, and being an owner of a furry family friend, there are two concerns that I have regarding a high number of dog owners and walkers who have not given much, if any, thought to the animal’s wellbeing while out walking, especially in the heat.
I have noticed with both dog owners and walkers, a lack of water being made available for the animal on their walk. Not all areas on the Sunshine Coast have council-provided taps and water bowls, meaning that it is up to us as responsible dog owners to provide our pooch with fresh clean water while out walking with them, especially if it is a long walk, and regardless of the day’s temperature. It is a fact that a dog will dehydrate quicker than a human.
My other concern relating to our furry family friends is the numerous dog owners/walkers I have observed who take their dogs for a walk when surface, such as sand, wood, cement, bitumen and so on are hot enough “to fry an egg on”. These people would not expect their children to walk barefoot on such scorching surfaces so why their valued pooches? Why is it these animal ‘lovers’ appear to have the belief that a dog’s pads are not susceptible to heat injury just like that of a human? I have found the ‘hand test’ is a great way to check if the walking surface is comfortable enough for a human to walk barefooted without sustaining any foot injury like burnt soles and blisters. A dog’s paw pads are very sensitive, similar to human feet, despite their tough appearance. They contain a high concentration of nerve endings and are highly susceptible to pain from temperature extremes, rough surfaces and foreign objects. This sensitivity means they can easily burn on hot pavements and on other hard and soft surfaces.
It is worth thinking about these two things with summer coming on fast.
- Read the story: Do we have the nation’s worst drivers?
Tony Willis, Buddina: I have to ask where the Mooloolaba police are every Friday and Saturday night, when the hoons roar around the fish markets and then up to Point Cartwright, when they fire off starting guns or backfire cars. It has gone on for years, but never seems to be challenged or diminish. Don’t get me wrong, the police do an amazing job and there probably aren’t enough of them, nor are they paid enough. But surely for the sake of the tired majority trying to get some peaceful sleep, can’t these hoons enjoy a nice quiet night at the watchhouse and pick up their noisy illegal bikes and cars after a month or two’s holiday at the impound yard?
- Read the story: Mooloolaba to introduce paid parking in multi-storey
John Hunt, Forest Glen: I used the council’s ParknGo at Mooloolaba on Sunday. The lifts were appalling and in dire need of a good clean – footprints on doors, stains on the walls. If this is how we want our visitors to see us, it’s not a good look.
- Participatory media
Garry Reynolds, Peregian Springs: It is heartening to see local newspapers like the Sunshine Coast News taking an ethical stance in promoting good news to the community, even on bad news days. Large-city newspapers often succumb to the temptation to see a bad day as a good story and promote it with sensationalist gotcha headlines and clickbait social media.
On October 9, in a private audience with members of the media, Pope Leo XIV condemned the widespread use of clickbait, emphasising the importance of transparency, objectivity and the high quality of reporting. Known to be an avid supporter of ethical journalism, the pontiff urged media organisations to take greater accountability and ownership of their work.
Some media moguls produce publications that thrive on depressing tales of corruption and incompetence, exploiting readers’ vulnerability to heightened threats exaggerated by politicians appealing to the lowest common denominator. On the other hand, local papers offer local politicians the opportunity to report back to their electors on what they are doing in an authentic, transparent way to maintain accountability to their community.
Papers like Sunshine Coast News are an avenue for local councillors and parliamentary members to provide a detailed, nuanced explanation of what they are thinking about on current issues and what they propose for the future. It is an opportunity frequently ignored by the large papers chasing circulation, circulation, circulation with broad-brush sensationalism and cynicism. The big players are enticed to highlight spectacular, sudden disasters rather than steady improvements, and evil manipulators rather than inspiring ordinary people doing extraordinary things with everyday acts of kindness.
Local newspaper feature articles are the first rough draft of local history, preserving the stories of the struggles and triumphs of the current generation in passing the baton to succeeding ones. Invariably, editors write opinion pieces that reinforce community values and highlight the vibrancy of the local people. They encourage readers to submit their own good news, whether it’s through letters to the editor, photographs, or tip-offs about achievements and upcoming events. This participatory approach ensures coverage reflects the community’s grassroots spirit and priorities.
The alternative in some big papers is sensationalist reporting that often spreads faster than truth as the proprietors desperately try to arrest declining readership and attempt to manipulate state and national political outcomes. Important local issues are buried in the mire. With supportive community readership and contributions, Sunshine Coast News’ coverage of good news informs and uplifts, helping to create a more optimistic and engaged local community now and for the future.
Ed’s note: Thanks Garry. The SCN team work really hard to present fair and balanced articles. We don’t always please everyone, but we do what we can to champion for the community.
Do you have an opinion to share? Submit a Letter to the Editor at Sunshine Coast News via news@sunshinecoastnews.com.au. You must include your name and suburb for accountability, credibility and transparency. Preference will be given to letters of 100 words or less.
