Greenspaces are an essential part of every city, needing long term protection and care. These places sustain our health and well-being, allow us to play and relax, enable learning about nature as well as moderate climate extremes in densely settled areas. Over the past decades Gecko Environment Council has advocated for the protection and increase of public open space for recreational and conservation areas.
The world standard for providing green spaces is 4 ha per 1000 people, but Gold Coast has adopted just 3.2 ha per 1000 people, despite the ever increasing density of our suburbs. Greenspaces, or parklands, are very well used in the City, but they are frequently threatened with inappropriate development proposals. These include: selling them off to private enterprise; allowing use by private businesses such as restaurants; expansions of club houses; cruise terminals; car parks and residential or commercial development.
Current Actions
The spit 10 March 20192
The Spit Master Plan a Reality
09/07/2019
The final Master Plan was accepted by all participants and the State Government in May 2019. The Spit is 8 times the size of Southbank parklands so it has enormous…
Read more
sailboats
Campaigns-Cruise Ship Terminal Update May 2019
08/05/2019
Generally Gecko members are pleased with The Spit Master Plan which provides for all of the public open space to be retained and enhance with either native planting and, where…
Read more
Spit looking south
Draft Spit Masterplan Released for Public Comment
19/03/2019
On Sunday 10th March the Premier, Anastasia Palaszczuk, and the Minister for Planning, Hon. Cameron Dick launched the draft Spit Master Plan at Muriel Henchman Park on The Spit. After…
Read more
sailboats
Off Shore Cruise Terminal (OSCT)
13/01/2019
Council has continued to spend ratepayer funds on investigations into this proposal, despite strong community opposition to this proposal as well as all previous cruise ship proposals since 2003. The…
Read more
lake being filled-1024×768
Black Swan Lake
09/01/2019
The campaign to stop the infill of the Lake has continued unabated over past months, but nothing has swayed either the Council or the Gold Coast Turf Club. The Lake…
Read more
Fed walk sign and walker DP
Spit Master Plan: December 2018
09/01/2019
In early December another of the weekend workshops to design the Spit Master Plan was held at SeaWorld, with representatives from the community, business and community groups present. This time…
Read more
Spit water access DP
Progress on the Spit Master Plan – by Lois Levy
13/11/2018
The Spit is a unique city asset that all Gold Coasters, regardless of where they live, can enjoy and protect. Several workshops have been held. From these detailed discussions the…
Read more
overhead-map-the-spit-and-broadwater1-1024×768
The Spit Master Plan by Lois Levy
14/06/2018
The Spit Master Plan by Lois Levy The campaign to protect the public open space of The Spit at the Gold Coast Broadwater has been a fierce and often divisive…
Read more
Black-Swan-Lake-1024×768
Black Swan Lake
01/06/2018
The campaign for this small public open space in Bundall began in 2014 and has attracted the support of thousands of people, appalled that Council is giving this lake to…
Read more
Black Swan lake at dawn-2017-1049×685
Black Swan Lake-What is the Current Issue?
12/06/2017
Wildlife Preservation Society actioned a petition which was presented to Council in October 2014. Gecko has written to Council requesting that the Lake remain and that Council consider some type…
Read more
terminal two2017-1144×344
EXCLUSIVE: Terminal Cost Blowout
24/05/2017
Gold Coasters have been dealt a combo of low blows over the proposed oceanside cruise terminal pre-election promise from Mayor Tom Tate with LiQUiFY able to reveal multiple issues which…
Read more
ASF Plans forThe Spit-1024×768
The Spit and Broadwater Update
22/03/2017
It was a good turnout last Sunday, but there is still time for you to have your say. Submissions close 7th April. The public consultation on two aspects of the…
Read more
terminal three2017-1012×758
The Gold Coast World Surfing Reserve
30/07/2015
The Gold Coast World Surfing Reserve A Gold Coast World Surfing Reserve from Burleigh to Snapper is there to protect and preserve our breaks, remove the threat and celebrate our…
Read more
The Spit 4 3 ratio Slide01-BG.jpg
Background Info-Spit&Broadwater
02/06/2015
Public Consultation on the future of The Spit is underway right now and Gecko urges everyone concerned about the integrity of our City Plan and the protection of public open…
Read more
Gecko Wavebreak Island rally-3968×2976