No Cruise Ship Terminal For Kirra

Kirra ain’t what it once was, but it still flashes its panties on occasion. Julian Wilson, under skirt. Photo: Ryan Miller

Premier Campbell Newman just canned plans for a $2 billion cruise ship terminal, which may as well have been $2 squillion ’cause who the hell has $2 billion to spend on a cruise ship terminal? Oh, except Bob Ell. The Bilinga terminal, which can only be described as really fucking big, has been the looming shadow you’ve seen Mick Fanning leading a social media charge against of late. Two weeks ago, Bob Ell, otherwise known as Parker Selfridge from Avatar, relaunched a resort proposal that included a cruise ship terminal and superyacht facilities, plus apartments, shops and casino for making dat cheddar.

The biggest problem that Mick and every other person who’s ever ridden a surfboard had with Bob’s Bilinga proposal, was that it was gonna cleave right through Kirra, greatly impacting on the wave and ruining every sand formation immediately north of it.

In what we assume was an ‘I-was-never-gonna-green-light-this’ tone, Newman told the Gold Coast Bulletin: “While we always welcome new ideas about how to grow the state, we will simply never entertain the idea of a cruise ship terminal at Kirra Beach. Our beaches are just too important – not just as a natural wonder or as a place for families and surfers – but also for the central role they play in Gold Coast tourism.”

Now, it’s hard not to think that the Bilinga Terminal was never gonna happen. See, it drew attention away from the Broadwater terminal (which would plough straight through Straddie), something that has been floated and opposed on the Gold Coast for some time. By proposing something so ridiculous as the Bilinga Terminal, a lesser-of-two-evils situation was tuned up. As if to validate this, Newman made it clear in the same statement that the Broadwater cruise ship terminal plan is still on the table. Mick, Joel and impassioned surf community must now refocus sights.

The protest paddle out at Kirra, planned for Sunday, will now be more of, like, a party. – Elliot Struck

Mick can breath easy for a minute. There’ll be plenty more Kirra barrels like this one to come. Photo: Andy Potts