Mission Beach Aquatic & Recreation Club Inc.(MBARC)

The Riddle: Why Does Mission Beach Remain Without a Swimming Pool?

Mission Beach Aquatic & Recreation Club President Paul Roxby, recently held a meeting with Councillors of the Cassowary Coast Regional Council (CCRC). The objectives of the session were to inform Councillors of the history and status of this project since it started in 1999, and to put a case for  Council to adopt a plan and consider urgently needed funding to revise the Feasibility Study, Costings and Concept Plans. All this could be done for $30,000. (And community assistance could also be available for Council once again.)

Councillors were provided with information on recent population changes and the urgent need for planning to begin again on this aquatic facility. There are now 40 towns from Mackay north with pools – of towns with a population of 1,100 or more only Mission Beach has no pool. Kuranda (2,500 residents), Yarrabah (2,400) and Burketown (170) all opened pools in 2007/8. Mission Beach, with a resident population of 3,200 and regularly with as many tourists , is way overdue for this investment.

The MBARC team showed that:

·         Mission Beach is the fastest growing town in the region from Mackay north.

·         Mission Beach kids and families now travel up to 40Km for safe, cool sports and recreation water.

·         Residents have contributed to date over $85,000 in cash and voluntary work (equivalent to $45 per household) towards the project so they are clearly committed to it happening.

·         Up to four sites are available , each at no cost to Council.

·         Of all sports and recreation capital spent in the southern region over the last four years , Tully received 65%, Cardwell 33% and Mission Beach 2%. Based on existing populations and forecasts Mission Beach should attract around 40% of this capital expenditure.

·         Costs are not excessive: Kuranda’s  was finished this year and cost $2M for a facility similar to that proposed by MBARC. Government funding attracts at least 50% of cost.

·         Risk of death or injury is rapidly increasing with jellyfish and crocs now more common – Bingil Bay was closed for three weeks in June for a large crocodile; they’re now here in winter when tourists are swimming in droves!

MBARC acknowledged that CCRC is entering an incredibly difficult time financially so risk management has priority. Roads and bridges come first yet we cannot ignore the risks facing a large and quickly growing community with so many visitors swimming in hot or unsafe water. The question posed was: how will we be judged as a community when the next (inevitable) croc or boxjelly death occurs if we have no plans to counter this risk – especially after our recent warning?

“The community needs some certainty on safety. Yarrabah faced this dilemma when it had a similarly sad loss of life in 2000. They fixed it and built their pool. Our response must be to at least develop a plan to put this right: we have not asked for it to happen tomorrow – just that a small funding commitment is made now so the community can work together towards a safe future.”                                                                          

Paul Roxby 03 July 2008.