Brad2912

I’d forgotten this was actually happening. I hope it is finished for the summer holidays, would love to give it a run on the way down to or back from Sydney

I guess that comes down to $$$$ channel 10 and the production company realistically won’t make a call on longevity until ratings for the first 3-4 weeks of this season are in. If a return to its previous format brings viewers back, I can see it getting a multi-season deal which could see the DEC taken over semi-permanently (the “house” may remain year round with walk-thru available to guests in non production periods) or they may move to build a more permanent house elsewhere on the site. If the money thrown at the them by the production company outweighs what they make from a functional events centre, they’d be silly not to accept it as it’s guaranteed revenue - what that would mean for the future of trolls village/kevil etc which I believe are being used in some capacity is yet to be seen

There was certainty no lighting package on WWF at FNs. The entire outdoor area was in complete darkness, only light was that coming from the moon and some glow from the park itself

It is being used but nothing about this seasons production seems “permanent”

Either points to Scooby being a post-WC opening, or they just don't want to commit at this point and it "may" be open depending on how testing and commissioning goes in the next 6 weeks

*yawn* Every single person breathing on this planet has financially benefited from the destruction of natural habitat, and the death of animals/plants/species/ecosystems. Anyway, we clearly have differing viewpoints and thats totally fine with me. Unlike what seems like many people on this forum, i actually don't come here to spar with people - i'm here because i enjoy talking about theme parks with other like minded people. Yours or anyone's environmental/political/philosophical ideas and ideals are not relevant to me, nor do i have any interest in debating them or trying to persuade you to change them. I am glad however that you and @New display name have been able to find commonality on an issue - if I've achieved one thing, it's getting you two on the same page, even if it was in opposition to me, seems we are all winners. Think it's best i simply stick to posting the published reports regarding this development moving forward and avoid providing any personal thoughts on the matter. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Environmental groups have slammed the state government's decision to fast-track Dreamworld's expansion, warning it threatens the Gold Coast's most significant koala population. The state government is being accused of sacrificing the Gold Coast’s most significant koala population for development, by removing green tape to fast track the Dreamworld project. Environmental campaigners GECKO and a Coomera group along with the Queensland Conversation Council are calling for the project to have an independent federal assessment. Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie, on Tuesday, after a previous request by the Gold Coast City Council, announced he would use rare powers to “call in” the project. He said the decision “highlighted the significance of the proposal for Queensland’s long-term housing and tourism priorities”. However, in his earlier call-in notice to council, he admitted there were significant environmental matters with Dreamworld planning to remove 42,285sq m of koala habitat. Queensland Conservation Council director Dave Copeman said the decision ignores a Koala Conservation Strategy and undermines years of community advocacy for stronger habitat. “This call-in silences the community and fast-tracks a highly controversial private development that should be subject to independent and transparent scrutiny,” he said. “Queenslanders expect the planning system to protect nature and uphold due process, not to be overridden for commercial convenience.” The environmental groups want the development application to be referred for federal assessment under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act. They asked the government to release all documentation underpinning the call-in decision. Coomera Conservation Group’s Karina Waterman said the usual environmental assessment process which allowed for scrutiny, transparency, and public input has been bypassed. “By taking this path, the project can now avoid full environmental oversight, and with rights to object or appeal removed, our community has effectively been silenced,” she said. “Most concerning is that this project would clear known koala habitat, in an area where our remaining wild koalas are already fighting to survive. “Northern Gold Coast koalas are now confined to shrinking patches of bushland, boxed in by roads, fences, and housing estates. Every corridor that connects them matters. “Our community has worked tirelessly for years to protect local koalas and green corridors. We will continue to speak up — because our koalas cannot.” GECKO environment council’s campaign co-ordinator Sara Hicks warned that clearing would fast track extinction for Coomera koalas. “With the cumulative local impacts, clearing habitat on this site – ironically to expand a commercial tourism operation — would be catastrophic for local koalas,” she said. “This call-in ‘fast track’ bypasses due process and negates the government’s own regulations intended to protect threatened species.” In its development application to council, before the call-in, Dreamworld included a koala management plan which includes having spotters on site. An ecological report prepared by the theme park’s town planners showed there were 68 records of koalas living within two kilometres of the Coomera property. Assessment of 39 trees at the site found nine had scratching on their canopies along with evidence on the ground of koala scats. “A result of the proposed development is the threat of potential impact and risk to koala that may arise or be temporarily intensified,” an ecological report said. “The applicant is highly committed to ensuring these potential threats and risks have minimal impacts on any koala individuals that may be present within the subject site.” About 2724 trees could be removed, resulting in the loss of 37,572 sqm of mapped koala habitat However the Gold Coast’s business community has welcomed the project. Gold Coast North Chamber of Commerce Josephine Kadel said it would be transformative for the fast-growing region. “We welcome progress on the Dreamworld Masterplan and supports a collaborative approach between state and local government to align infrastructure and road upgrades with future growth,” she said. “Co-ordinated planning of this kind ensures new investment translates into lasting benefits — creating jobs, supporting businesses, and strengthening the economic resilience of the northern Gold Coast.” https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/gold-coast/northern/dreamworld-future-of-gold-coast-theme-parks-expansion-plans/news-story/54db918c8f73b02f63d0cc2c7b165c0b

You’re talking about the code, I’m talking about the most recently updated plans which are readily available

Unlike you to nitpick on a detail… the high density residential is a component of the overall development. I never said the residential dwellings alone contribute to tourism, though you could argue the more people living within walking distance of the park the more likely those people are to be passholders and spending money in the theme park and in surrounding businesses

Don’t I? I live in and have property on the northern GC. I can see GD from my backyard and the proposed development is essentially on my doorstep (figuratively). The jobs created by the development both in construction and then operation, and the revenue brought to the region by increased tourism has flow on effects for everyone. I work in the entertainment and hospitality space, which will again be boosted by such a development. so tell me again how I do not have any skin in the game?

Red tape is drawn out for the sake of being drawn out, it keeps money in lawyers, solicitors and the councils coffers. For what it is worth, the elected local govt counselors for the northern GC, Donna Gates and Mark Hammel (who is also the planning chair of GCCC and deputy mayor) are both in support of the development - so had the call in not proceeded, they would still have been voting favourably in any council led planning decisions - meaning opposition would have been coming from counsellors with no skin in the game in the region that this development will impact - which is an example of the red tape that bureaucracy constantly throws up slowing down processes and progress.

You realise any applications will still have environmental restrictions placed on them.. calling in doesn’t circumvent planning and environmental laws, just removes costly and long drawn out processing they are not just napalming the entire bushland and then bringing in bulldozers. maybe we should just knock the entire park down and plant some trees instead..

It doesn’t matter where you live, some animal was displaced/killed to facilitate the construction of your home, the roads to reach it, your local shopping centre. It’s hilarious when people have an issue with land being developed now that benefits other people, but had no issue with it when it benefits them. Convenient Conservationists… why don’t people not live on the northern GC? Haha. Apart from the cane fields (which will no doubt one day be developed) there is no other significant developable land on the GC remaining. What is needed is medium-high density developments close to public transport and infrastructure, and this ticks all those boxes.

Residential towers are far more beneficial right now for the northern GC and lack of available properties than a handful of koalas, who will no doubt be well looked after given DW is actively involved in koala rehab and environmental rehabilitation

Planning minister has “called in” the development which should see things fast tracked, or at least not held up by petty objections and the court processes https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/gold-coast/northern/dreamworld-future-of-gold-coast-theme-parks-expansion-plans/news-story/54db918c8f73b02f63d0cc2c7b165c0b

Safe to do say Dreamworld & Pico Play won’t be collaborating on anything in the future… Court rules against Dreamworld in Gold Coast theme park payment battle Dreamworld has lost a Supreme Court battle after refusing to pay $555,000 to the design company behind its new $35m Rivertown precinct. Dreamworld has lost a Supreme Court battle in which it was accused of trying to short-change a leading theme park attractions company involved in a new multimillion-dollar precinct at the Gold Coast fun park. The stoush over the $35m Rivertown project, which opened late last year, erupted between Dreamworld owners Coast Entertainment and attraction design company Pico Play Pty Ltd, which has worked on projects worldwide including Bluey’s World in Brisbane and Movie World’s Wizard of Oz precinct. Pico Play launched legal action earlier this year after Coast Entertainment declined to pay a $555,000-plus on a $4.1m contract for the Jungle Rush and Murrissipi Motors (vintage car) themed areas of Rivertown. The payment claim went to a building industry adjudicator who rejected the application on the basis that he lacked jurisdiction, after determining that the claim did not have a valid reference date and that Pico Play had undertaken to perform unlicensed building work. The company took both Coast Entertainment and adjudicator Christopher Taylor to court alleging that the claim was valid and that Mr Taylor had erred in relation to the unlicensed work finding. Court documents reveal Coast Entertainment rejected the payment claim after themed components for the project were either missing, delivered late or defective. The company denied performing unlicensed building work, as its role was limited to designing, fabricating and delivering certain themed components to the site. Pico project manager Marnus Hendrikse, in an affidavit, said the company had experienced various delays during the project which were not within its control, including design delays and a typhoon which disrupted the transport of goods from its factory in Vietnam. Mr Hendrikse said the contract did not require Pico to seek an extension of time but he had worked collaboratively with the theme park operator to provide updates. He said Pico Play had accepted some payment deductions by Coast Entertainment but others were in dispute. Lawyers for Pico Play contended that Mr Taylor had made a “jurisdictional error” in rejecting the company’s adjudication application because the claim did have a valid reference date and no unlicensed building work was carried out. The lawyers said Pico Play had delivered goods to the Rivertown site in December last year, establishing the reference date. The company denied performing unlicensed building work, as its role was limited to designing, fabricating and delivering certain themed components to the site. Coast Entertainment’s lawyers argued that Mr Taylor was correct in his ruling, saying Pico Play tried to re-characterise its final claim as a progress claim “when faced with evidence of later deliveries and missing items”. They said Pico Play did not hold an open builders licence between October 20023 and July 2024 and its restricted structural landscaping licence did not cover the full scope of works under the contract. The Coast Entertainment lawyers said Mr Taylor was therefore correct in finding that Pico Play had undertaken to carry out building work, in breach of the construction act. They said Pico Play’s contractual obligations went “beyond mere off-site” fabrication and it had wrongly sought to characterise its work as “ornamental or ancillary”. In a judgment handed down last month, Justice Declan Kelly found in Pico Play’s favour and declared Mr Taylor’s adjudication decision to be void. The dispute marked a souring of relations between Pico Play and Dreamworld, which have collaborated on multiple projects over the years. After visiting Pico Play’s Vietnamese facility early last year, Dreamworld CEO Greg Yong said the company had a “super talented” team and he felt “100 per cent confident” in their handling of the Rivertown project. https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/queensland/court-rules-against-dreamworld-in-gold-coast-theme-park-payment-battle/news-story/f31577a5d73e483815295a4e25be9119?fbclid=IwZnRzaANlGOFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHpkhxSyrpUeqLKFfHVpw56c-8fGyVPRYblH8GdoVsXEHcS8WZk1agilY8UKN_aem_1nl8qN6VJS7I0nmognlixQ