COOKTOWN, Australia (28 Jan 2006) -- Residents of one of Queensland's most beautiful frontier towns are gearing for a battle to prevent it becoming a playground for the rich. Developers, investors, grey nomads and sea-changers are poised to swoop on sleepy Cooktown – the gateway to Cape York Peninsula – when a sealed road to Cairns is completed in the next few days. The Cooktown Development Road, better known by locals as the Mulligan Highway, is expected to further expose the region to a tourism and property development boom. Property values have nearly tripled since 2000 and many residents, fearing a weakening of the town's identity as an unspoilt outpost of historical, environmental and cultural significance, are adamant their home will not become another Port Douglas. "Over my dead body," vowed Cooktown Chamber of Commerce president Penny Johnson. For years Cooktown was accessible only to four-wheel-drive vehicles, with the 330km inland route via the Mulligan Hwy, starting at Mareeba, west of Cairns, frequently cut by flooding. The trip took almost six hours and hire car companies would not allow sedans to be driven on the corrugated road. The colourful locals, many of whom were involved in the fishing industry, dubbed Cooktown "Australia's biggest open-air asylum". But now the journey from Cairns is about 3½ hours. With its majestic views and proximity to the Great Barrier Reef, the historic town has become an increasingly attractive option to holidaymakers – and developers. Real Estate Institute of Queensland figures show the median price for houses jumped more than 250 per cent between 2000 and 2005. Costs now range from about $215,000 for a two-bedroom house in town to more than $750,000 for a luxurious property with views of the Endeavour River. Hedley Pty Ltd, which is among Queensland's largest developers, is one company keeping a close watch on Cooktown. "I certainly believe Cooktown has huge potential," said Hedley's development manager, David Row. "The sealing of the road will have a significant impact, much the same way as it did with Agnes Water (between Bundaberg and Gladstone). "It has everything going for it and the road is only going to help." Rainforest Real Estate licensee Karen Olsen agreed. | | MIXED FEELINGS: Pensioner and local identity `Lizard' Forbes fears he will no longer be able to afford to rent (photo by Brian Cassey)
"I don't think Cooktown has any choice but to go up," she said. "Thirteen years ago you couldn't give away a block of land. They're selling for $85,000 to $100,000 now." For every resident excited about the impending boom there is one with mixed feelings. Pensioner and local identity "Lizard" Forbes fears he will no longer be able to afford to rent in Cooktown. "It's going to be a rich man's town," he said. "Rent and prices have been skyrocketing and it will be hard for locals to survive." While open to the benefits of tourism and economic growth, Cooktown's policymakers have vowed to work hard to retain the town's identity. Cook Shire Mayor Bob Sullivan, a resident for more than 30 years, said the council's planning scheme would prevent Cooktown's sleepy, colonial atmosphere being shattered by "red-bricked roofs". He said: "Another Port Douglas? That won't happen. "The challenge is to ensure that what people come here for remains that way. We want to retain the charm and the character." It is the promise of growth that lured Tony Willett to move from Albury-Wodonga to open his restaurant, 1770, near the mouth of the Endeavour River this week. "It's an ideal time to come here. Twenty years ago you'd have to drive around boulders to get here," he said. Local restaurateur Louie Armstrong said: "It's going to be the next Port Douglas. "It's been pretty good here for about 12 months but the next year will be enormous." The Chamber of Commerce's Ms Johnson acknowledges the boom but wants to keep a lid on the hype. "It's not a cheap area to buy into – rental properties are at a premium," she said. "For investors it's certainly worth considering . . . but this is not Port Douglas. It's not Cairns. It's unique." SOURCE - The Sunday Mail |
