Residents of the Palm Lake Resort have been left with little hope the Bethania to Logan Village rail trail will be diverted.
The proposed trail will intersect the gated community in a bid to boost Logan tourism.
Members of the Rail Trail Diversion Group met with Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Mark Bailey, last Wednesday.
Queensland Attorney-General and member for Waterford Shannon Fentiman was in attendance at the meeting, alongside more than 100 Palm Lake residents.
Residents were able to ask the MPs questions and voice their concerns.
Both MPs repeatedly ensured residents they were “being heard”.
“I don’t want to give anyone hope… but your feedback has been very clear,” Ms Fentiman said.
She said she had taken the residents’ complaints to council and they were determining the feasibility of a trail diversion.
But Ms Fentiman ultimately revealed the crux of the issue was the ownership of the land.
“Its public land. I know many of you bought here and didn’t know, but there [have] always been plans of a rail trail,” she said.
“There hasn’t been full disclosure about that to residents… We’re all disappointed by that.”
The passionate and frustrated residents spoke mostly of the safety ramifications of the trail.
Historically, safety has been a major concern to these residents, with protective gates added to the community in 2004.
But even added protection didn’t stop criminal behaviour, with multiple home break-ins and caravan thefts reported.
Now, residents are concerned the rail trail will worsen criminal activity once again.
“Safety has been the number one issue raised with me so far,” Ms Fentiman said.
“[Safety] must be part of [council] considerations.”
She also confirmed the rail trail budget would include funding for a protective fence along the trail section bordering Palm Lake.
Mr Bailey said the public-access walkway would not encourage crime, instead, it would act as a deterrence.
“You tend to see less crime when there’s more people moving around,” Mr Bailey said.
“You won’t get as much crime once there’s a walking trail.”
This comment by Mr Bailey triggered scoffs and laughs from the audience.
Ms Fentiman reported, despite residents’ fears, crime in the area had decreased.
Principal at Burns Law, Robert Burns, an advocate for the group, challenged the ministers.
“Will the government accept responsibility… when things go wrong?” he said
“I can’t predict the future, but they will seek to make sure it doesn’t happen,” Mr Bailey responded.
Mr Bailey then referenced the walking trail in Yarrabilba as an example of the positive safety effects of a path.
But he contradicted his point when he admitted Palm Lakes was in a “unique” situation” due to its abundance of homes.
One resident picked up on this inconsistency and asked the minister how he could use previous examples as a defence after saying that Palm Lakes was “unique”?
Unfortunately, the question was glossed over.
Ms Fentiman told residents she would continue consultation with them.
“We are listening to you,” she said.
