Environmental Protection Agency meeting
Vital discussions took place last Friday 8/9/06 with officers from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding the proposed Queensland Heritage Council engineering review of the Jimna Fire Tower. Dialogue focused on the “Expected Outcome” of this review which was successfully identified as being to redevelop the Jimna Fire Tower and Site as a “Tourist Attraction”.
The Jimna Fire Tower Action Group (JFTAG) submitted draft plans and reports which were collated over past consultations with builders and engineers and supported by a full set of the original structural drawings of the tower. The EPA deputation was extremely receptive to JFTAG’S input and were reassuring in their commitment to evaluate every possible option to the demolition of this valuable heritage listed tourist icon. This of course was JFTAG’S original goal which, thankfully, will now become a reality, along with other positive outcomes from the meeting including possible funding opportunity’s, and comparisons with other government controlled heritage listed places which have become excess to requirements and have subsequently been transferred to other bodies including private enterprise.
With a firm agreement to recommend that JFTAG be included in the consultation process with QHC before the new engineering brief or terms of reference are finalised, JFTAG could not have procured a more satisfactory result.
After lunch at Jacks Place, Kilcoy Eatery, the EPA party travelled to Jimna where an on-site inspection of the tower and nearby Peach Trees Camping Grounds culminating with a visit to the Jimna Hall Historical Association’s information centre, left the party in no doubt as to the tourism potential of not only the Jimna Fire Tower but also of the high country within Kilcoy Shire.
JFTAG invites any person or group who may be able to offer some assistance to move this project forward in a positive manner, to feel free to call in at Jacks Place, Mary St., Kilcoy, any Friday between 10am and 12 noon