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Palm Cove News MARCH,
2003 | ||||||
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60km/h anger "The law's an ass," Wendy Crook of Terebra St said when she saw the new 60 km/h speed limit signs on Veivers Rd and Cedar Rd. "We are used to 40 km/h on Veivers and Cedar Rds, and with kids in the neighbourhood 40 km/h is a lot safer than 60 km/h," she said. "As a matter of fact, I always thought 40 km/h applied to the whole of Palm Cove. Now it's 60km/l for Veivers and Cedar Rds and 50km/l for all the quieter streeets. It's ridiculous." Similiar concerns have been heard from other local residents. Cnr Sno Bonneau said the state government legislated for a 50 km/h speed limit for residential streets in Queensland with the exception of arterial roads which have a limit of 60 km/h. Cedar and Veivers Roads are listed as arterial roads. "I agree with the objectors. The whole thrust of this exercise was to slow cars down and increase the stopping distance to reduce accidents," he said. The councillor said he had written to Transport Minister Steve Bredhauer who replied that if we wanted to keep the 40 km/h speed limit we would have to put more traffic-calming devices on the road with approval from Queensland Transport. Sno said he had done this and had managed to keep both Williams Esplanade at Palm Cove and Vasey Esplanade at Trinity Beach at 40km/h. However, after extensive discussions with Queensland Transport and council officers, he said it appeared we had little chance of reverting to 40k on Veivers and Cedar. "This does not prevent people from dealing direct with Steve Bredhauer if they so wish," he said. (See Editorial, this page.)
Editorial IT SEEMS ludicrous that busy Cedar and Veivers Roads should now have a 60 km/h speed limit when for years they have had a much safer 40 km/h limit. It looks like bureaucracy gone mad. We are, of course, the victims of standardization. Busy arterial roads in residential areas statewide have been allocated 60 km/h limits, which many of them would have already. Sno Bonneau has done his best for us, but it seems we have to accept the umpire's decision and go along with 60km/h on Veivers and Cedar. Backpackers close down PALM COVE RETREAT on Capt Cook Highway has closed its doors because of a 300 percent increase in third party liability insurance premiums. Owner Mr Terry Warren said insurance premiums for third party liability had gone from $5,000 to $17,000. "Because my establishment provides only budget-priced accommodation, I couldn't charge young people much more," he said. "The business is no longer viable." Mr Warren is a long-time resident of Palm Cove. Warren St was named after his family. He said guests paid $12 per night or $70 per week for shared multi-bunk accommodation with use of kitchen and laundry. Palm Cove Retreat is the only backpacker facility in the area. The nearest budget accommodation is at Trinity Beach where there are single rooms. Tourism Palm Cove president Alex Whyte said the closure was a blow for Palm Cove. "A backpacker market is valuable anywhere," he said. "Here at Palm Cove we provide a niche to cater for a mix of travellers. Backpackers are budget travellers who save on accommodation but spend more on entertainment, tours, and in shops. "If Palm Cove Retreat doesn't reopen, there is a great opportunity here for someone to operate a similar facility, if it is made viable," he said. Big resorts start building CONSTRUCTION of Sea Temple Resort has commenced; work on Triton Palace will start in a matter of weeks. Project Sales Manager Clive Abbott said builders will start at Triton Palace when a present job elsewhere is finished. More than 50 percent of Triton's apartments have been sold off the plans with an average price of $839,000 and a top of $1.9 million for a penthouse, he said. "We still have a penthouse left for $2.3 million," Mr Abbott said. Sea Temple's North Queensland Sales Manager Mark Worth said 70 percent of units had been sold with another 10 percent "on track." Prices have ranged from $575,000 to $1.5 million with beachfront burres $1.5m. About 13 people from Palm Cove and Port Douglas have bought Sea Temple units. Peter McDougall of Sanctuary said all of their 20 apartments, which will be completed in June, have been sold off the plans with prices ranging from $500,000 to $700,000. "Twenty-five percent of buyers are from Palm Cove and Cairns," he said. .
Cove People
ROBIN JAMES says he has no regrets about quitting the rat race. Robin, originally from Devonshire, UK, arrived in Australia at age ten to be brought up on a 2,000 acre sheep station near Casterton, Vic. He won a scholarship to RMIT, Melbourne and later graduated from that university as a graphic designer. After working in Melbourne and Sydney where he shared a flat with world-famous author Peter Carey ("an interesting man"), he ran his own advertising business in Brisbane for seven years. He then came north and discovered Palm Cove in 1992. "That was it," he said, "I knew I had found my paradise. Even though I was earning big money in the cities, the satisfaction was not there. I was brought up in the country, and I have a real dislike for big cities." Robin said earning one-tenth as much by working as a maintenance man at Angsana was a better choice. "I wanted to escape," he said. "I make enough to pay the bills and I have space and freedom." When he first settled in, Robin soon earned the nickname of The Pied Piper with a daily walk along the esplanade followed in single file by dogs Zach, Titch, and Billy, cat Thomas, and an array of other dogs and kids all walking in unison. For ten years Robin has rented the house on the corner of Cedar Road and the esplanade. He knows he will have to move one day as the owner, he expects, will sell to developers when the price is right. Robin says he never tires of watching the sun rise over the ocean, the everchanging beach, and Cove's great soul-soothing village atmosphere.
Published
by Jerry Dukes, 52 Terebra St, Palm Cove | ||||||