The following article was published in the daily paper on Saturday. The
Weber Wave Pool and Schweeb actually exist. Google them. Imagine what
they would trigger (development wise) on the Capricorn Coast. Hopefully a
private developer might find it interesting enough to pursue it with
Council.
Looking over their shoulder they manoeuvred their boards in preparation
for the next wave. A perfect one point five metre tube rose behind
them. Here on Yeppoon’s main beach was their chance to perfect a 360.
The new Webber Wave Pool was an immediate hit. With the Bruce Highway
now by-passing Rockhampton, the Capricorn Regional Council was pro
active in marketing Yeppoon as not just a stop over but a holiday
destination. Realising that beaches alone were not enough, in a joint
venture with a private developer the Council converted the old hospital
site on Anzac Parade and Appleton Park into a circular wave pool with
high-rise accommodation with ground level shops on the island created in
the middle of the pool. To help overcome parking problems and add an
extra element to the development a Schweeb track was built from the
Scenic Highway side of Ross Creek across to the wave pool. The novelty
of the pedal powered mini mono rail saw the track quickly extend down
Anzac Parade to the new Strand Hotel Apartment Complex (with further
plans to extend down James Street to the shopping centres). Face Book
and You Tube videos of the Yeppoon beach front from inside the Schweeb
capsules certainly weren’t hurting tourism. Together with the northern
Bruce Highway access into Yeppoon and the new Great Keppel Island resort
the Capricorn Coast was now booming, attracting not only more tourists
but residents and businesses as well. Confidence in developing a mono
rail train service linking Yeppoon, Emu Park with the Rockhampton train
station was strengthening. A service that would not only be utilised by
tourists to see more of the Capricorn Coast, but also Rockhampton
residents frequenting the coasts restaurants and new wave pool, plus
Gladstone based workers who reside on the Capricorn Coast. Enabling
them to easily get the connecting Hassell Bullet train Rockhampton to
Gladstone return service.
This aspiration can happen, if we make it happen. Our future is not to
see, but to create. By showing how Central Queensland can continue to
make a significant contribution to the State and nation’s economy after
the resource boom gives us a stronger argument for the infrastructure
needed. Major infrastructure projects like the ones suggested here.
Infrastructure that’s needed now to help create the CQ we aspire to.